Sir Patrick Stewart, the legendary British actor best known for his portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has sadly passed away at the age of 86.
For many, Stewart will forever be remembered as the commanding yet compassionate captain of the USS Enterprise. For others, he was the wise mentor guiding a new generation of mutants. However, for gamers his unmistakable voice also helped bring some of our favourite virtual worlds to life.
His passing marks the loss of one of Britain’s most recognisable actors. Rather than simply mourning his passing, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate a remarkable career. As well as to reflect on what he meant to those of us who grew up watching him on television and later hearing his voice in our favourite games.
Growing Up With Captain Picard
Growing up towards the end of the 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Star Trek: The Next Generation was a regular part of my childhood. Like many children of that era, I spent countless hours wrapped up in my blanket, watching the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise-D. While the futuristic technology, strange alien worlds and occasional space battles were certainly exciting, looking back, it was the characters that made the series so special.
And at the centre of it all was Patrick Stewart.
There’s something rather strange about growing up with a character on television. You never actually meet them, and yet they become such a familiar presence that they almost feel like part of the family. For me and many other children of the 80s, Captain Picard was our television dad. I still vividly remember my parents letting me lie in their bed, wrapped up in an impossibly large quilt as I watch Jean-Luc’s Enterprise on a 14 inch TV screen.
He was the reassuring adult who always seemed to know what to do, even when everything around him was falling apart. Although it was made clear from the start of the show he didn’t have a fondness for children, his stern yet gentle nature was always reassuring. As a child, it was also important to see that when he did make a mistake he took ownership and did his best to make things right.
Unlike so many action heroes of the time, Picard rarely needed to throw a punch to solve a problem. He preferred conversation, diplomacy and understanding, although he certainly wasn’t afraid to stand his ground when necessary.
As a child, I probably didn’t appreciate just how unusual that was. I just knew that whenever Captain Picard appeared on screen, everything somehow felt like it was going to be alright. Now, as an adult and a father myself, I think I appreciate those qualities even more. Whilst I understand Patrick Stewart was, of course, playing a fictional character, it was his performance that made Picard feel so real. Especially in the eyes of my younger self.
From the Enterprise to Our Games Consoles
While Stewart’s achievements in television, film and theatre are well documented, his contribution to video games isn’t highlighted as much and deserves recognition too.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, with video games were becoming increasingly cinematic. The arrival of CD-ROM technology, improved sound capabilities and more ambitious storytelling allowed developers to bring Hollywood-style performances into our homes.
For those of us who had grown up with the bleeps and bloops of 8-bit and 16-bit gaming, hearing spoken voices in our games was amazing. But hearing a familiar actor deliver a fully voiced performance was something special. Patrick Stewart was one of those actors who seemed perfectly suited to the medium. One of his earliest gaming appearances came in Westwood Studios’ Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos in 1993, where he lent his voice to King Richard.
At a time when voice acting in games was still something of a novelty, Stewart brought a sense of authority and theatrical quality to the fantasy adventure. Although it wasn’t long until we heard him reprise one of his most famous roles in 1995’s, Star Trek: The Next Generation – A Final Unity. This time brought Picard and the Enterprise crew to PC in an adventure that felt remarkably close to an interactive episode of the television series. Stewart would continue to return to the role in numerous titles, including Star Trek: Armada, Star Trek: Invasion, Bridge Commander and Star Trek: Legacy.
These weren’t simply games featuring a character who looked like Captain Picard. They had the voice that we’d all grown up listening to. It might seem like a small detail today, but back then, it helped make these fictional worlds feel that little bit more authentic.
An Emperor, a Professor and a Vampire Hunter
Of course, Patrick Stewart’s gaming career extended far beyond Star Trek.
Perhaps one of his most memorable performances came in Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in 2006, where he voiced Emperor Uriel Septim VII.
Although his character appears relatively briefly at the beginning of the adventure, Stewart’s performance helped establish the atmosphere of what would become one of the most beloved role-playing games of its generation. With his narration and dialogue giving the opening moments a sense of importance before they embark on their adventure.
It’s a testament to his talent that a character with so little screen time could leave such a lasting impression.
He also brought Professor Charles Xavier to life in several X-Men games, including X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse and X2: Wolverine’s Revenge. Much like Picard, Professor Xavier was a character defined by intelligence, compassion and a belief that people could achieve something greater by working together. Although it was during his portrayal of a frail and broken Charles Xavier in 2017’s Logan, that the passage of time on this figure who had such an impact in my life started to weigh heavily on my heart.
Looking back it’s perhaps no surprise that Stewart was so convincing in both roles. But he could also play characters with a considerably darker side.
In Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and its sequel, Stewart voiced Zobek, bringing his unmistakable gravitas to the gothic action-adventure series. He also appeared in Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone, voiced the narration in My Memory of Us, and contributed to smaller, more unusual projects such as Felix the Reaper and Shadow Point. His involvement in such a wide range of titles demonstrated that video games were another worthwhile form of storytelling, with an established voice of screen and stage taking an active role within them.
A Legacy That Lives Beyond the Screen
One of the wonderful things about video games should be their ability to preserve performances for future generations. Although there is a whole argument about game preservation, but that’s for another time.
While film and television can do the same, games offer something a little different. We don’t simply passively watch these characters. We can explore their worlds, take part in their stories and, in some cases, spend dozens or even hundreds of hours in their company.
For someone like Patrick Stewart, whose voice was such a defining part of his performances, that means his work will continue to be discovered and enjoyed long into the future. With his latest performance being his reprisal as Emperor Uriel Septim in 2025’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
Although, beyond gaming Stewart’s career was extraordinary. From his early work with the Royal Shakespeare Company to his decades portraying Captain Picard, Professor Xavier and countless other characters, he demonstrated an incredible versatility that few actors ever achieve.
He was also an actor who seemed equally comfortable delivering Shakespeare on stage, commanding a starship, or having a laugh at his own expense. While I never met Patrick Stewart, the warmth and sense of humour made him even more endearing to the millions of people who grew up watching his work.
Thank You, Captain
Celebrity deaths can sometimes feel strangely personal, particularly when it’s someone whose work has been a constant presence throughout your life. For me, Patrick Stewart is that person.
He was never really just the captain of a fictional starship. To a young boy sitting in front of the television, he was a reassuring presence, someone who demonstrated that being a leader didn’t mean being the strongest or the loudest person in the room.
Sometimes, it simply meant being kind, thoughtful and doing what you believed was right.
And I think that’s a rather wonderful legacy to leave behind.
So perhaps this weekend, I’ll revisit my favourite episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, finally experience the world of Oblivion, or simply spend a little time remembering the countless hours of adventure he gave us. Watching the Avengers later this year will be a bittersweet goodbye to a larger than life character. Although the wonderful thing about the mediums he effortlessly navigated is that even though he’s gone, those adventures will always be there waiting for us.
Thank you, Sir Patrick Stewart. For the adventures, the memories and for being a small but meaningful part of my childhood.
Make it so.
Sir Patrick Stewart (1940–2026).
