Starfield's Launch Nears: Lead Designer's Heartfelt Tribute to Late Collaborator Touches Screens Across the Gaming World

Highlights

Lead Game Designer Emil Pagliarulo fondly remembers his collaboration with former colleague Ferret Baudoin, who tragically passed away before the launch of Starfield.

Baudoin, a renowned game designer, showcased his talent through notable contributions to games such as Fallout 76, Neverwinter Nights 2, and the Dragon Age series. Collaborating closely, Pagliarulo and Baudoin embarked on a secret quest for Starfield, an endeavor that Pagliarulo eagerly anticipates players to enjoy, though he refrains from revealing any specifics at this point.

With the highly anticipated launch of Bethesda's Starfield just around the corner, Lead Game Designer Emil Pagliarulo has been reflecting on his collaboration with former colleague Ferret Baudoin. Baudoin, a Senior Game Designer at Bethesda, unfortunately passed away in October 2022, depriving him of the opportunity to witness the release of the space-faring RPG he had contributed to. Nevertheless, Baudoin's impact on the game will be felt as his creative input can be seen in various elements he helped design.

Although Baudoin gained recognition as lead quest designer for Fallout 76, his career in the gaming industry began in 1997 as a QA tester at Activision. Throughout the years, he established himself as a talented designer with contributions to numerous titles such as Neverwinter Nights 2, the Dragon Age series, and even the canceled Black Isle version of Fallout 3. Bethesda eventually hired Baudoin, where he continued his work on Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and, of course, Starfield.

With the release of limited-edition merchandise and increased discussions on social media, the marketing for Starfield is gaining momentum. To shed light on his enjoyable collaboration with Baudoin on the project, Emil Pagliarulo, the game's lead designer, took to Twitter. They extensively discussed NPCs, quest beats, and story moments, and Pagliarulo expressed admiration for Baudoin's contagious optimism, which reminded him of the thrill of being a game designer.

Pagliarulo eagerly anticipates players experiencing a particular quest in Starfield, which he and Baudoin worked on together. Understandably, the developer is keeping the quest's details under wraps until the game's release. The Twitter thread concluded with a heartfelt message directed at Baudoin, acknowledging their successful collaboration and stating that the presence of Baudoin has made Starfield shine even brighter.

The upcoming launch of the highly anticipated Bethesda RPG may be bittersweet for some. The game's concept existed even before its trademark in 2013, and after such a long time, many people won't have the chance to witness the project's completion. In memory of a Starfield fan who passed away from lung cancer in May, several gamers have made a pledge to name their starship after them. Originally scheduled for a November 2022 release, Bethesda's announcement of a delay to 2023 left fan Alex Hay disheartened, fearing he may never get to play the game due to his illness.

With Starfield now having achieved gold status and preloading underway, excitement for Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years is at an all-time high. Alongside highly anticipated releases like Spider-Man 2, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and Modern Warfare 3, this sci-fi action RPG is one of the most eagerly awaited games of the year. Gamers are eagerly preparing for a packed Fall season.

Starfield launches on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.