Julian Lefay, the father of The Elder Scrolls, died after battle against cancer

Last week, the news came out informing that game designer Julian Lefay, known as The Elder Scrolls’s father, had left the industry after cancer terminal diagnosis.

Now, the official profile of OnCELOST Games, where Julian Lefay worked alongside Ted Peterson, announced sad news: unfortunately Julian Lefay passed away after his battle against cancer.

Julian Lefay was fundamental in the creation of The Elder Scrolls, being the main programmer and one of the franchise’s creators. He joined Bethesda in 1987, shortly after the company’s foundation, and played a crucial role in the franchise’s initial development.

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— OnceLost Games (@OnceLostGames) July 23, 2025

Communiqué on the death of Julian Lefay

“It is with deep sadness and weighing that we inform our community about the death of Julian Lefay, our dear technical and co-founder of Oncelost Games.”

“Julian Lefay was not just a colleague, he was a visionary who shared the game industry as we know it today. Known as the ‘father of The Elder Scrolls’, Julian directed the creation of legendary titles, including Elder Scrolls I & II: Arena, Daggerfall and Battlespire. influenced numerous developers and games that came later. ”

“At OnCelost Games, Julian was one of the great mentors behind The Wayward Realms, bringing decades of experience and an unshakable commitment to expand the boundaries of what RPGs can reach. His technical brilliance, creative vision and dedication to the player’s freedom have always been driving forces behind our ambitious project.”

“During his brave struggle against cancer, Julian never lost his passion for The Wayward Realms. Even during the disease, he continued sharing his vision with our team, guiding our developers and ensuring that each aspect of the game reflected his commitment to creating something truly extraordinary. His strength, determination, and unshakable focus inspires us all.”

Before his death, Lefay left the game industry to spend her last days with her family due to the advancement of the disease.