Borderlands 4 Early Look is Terminally Ill Fan's Wish

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford fulfills the heartfelt wish of a terminally ill Borderlands fan, Caleb McAlpine, offering early access to the highly anticipated Borderlands 4.

Terminally Ill Gamer's Wish to Play Borderlands 4 Early Granted

Gearbox CEO's Promise: Making a Dying Fan's Dream Come True

Caleb McAlpine, a 37-year-old battling terminal cancer, shared his earnest desire to experience Borderlands 4 before his passing. Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in August, his love for the series prompted a Reddit plea for assistance in contacting Gearbox. His heartfelt message resonated deeply with the gaming community.

"I'm a huge Borderlands fan, and I don't know if I'll live to see Borderlands 4," McAlpine wrote. "Can anyone help me contact Gearbox to see if I can play it early?"

His request didn't go unanswered. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford responded on X (formerly Twitter), pledging to help. Pitchford thanked those who brought the request to his attention and assured McAlpine that they would "do everything possible to make this happen." Subsequent communications between Pitchford and McAlpine have been confirmed.

Borderlands 4, unveiled at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024, is slated for a 2025 release. However, this timeframe presents a significant challenge for McAlpine, whose prognosis, according to his GoFundMe page, is limited to 7-12 months, possibly extending to two years with successful chemotherapy.

Despite his prognosis, McAlpine maintains a positive outlook. In a September GoFundMe update, he stated, "Some days are tougher than others, and I want to give up sometimes. But I think about Job in the Bible...and that's what I have: faith that God will guide the doctors to heal me."

His GoFundMe campaign, aiming to raise $9,000 for medical expenses, has garnered $6,210 from 128 donors.

Gearbox's History of Supporting Fans

This act of kindness isn't unprecedented for Gearbox. In 2019, Trevor Eastman, another Borderlands fan battling cancer, received an early copy of Borderlands 3. Sadly, Eastman passed away later that year, but his memory lives on—Gearbox named a legendary weapon, the Trevonator, in his honor.

In 2011, following the death of fan Michael Mamaril, Gearbox honored his friend's request by including a tribute from Claptrap in Borderlands 2, and even created an NPC in his name within the game.

While Borderlands 4's official release is still some time away, Gearbox's commitment to fulfilling McAlpine's wish underscores their dedication to the community. As Pitchford stated in a Business Wire press release, "We at Gearbox have huge ambitions for Borderlands 4, striving to improve everything we love about the series while pushing the game in exciting new directions."

The specifics of these new directions remain under wraps, but fans can add Borderlands 4 to their Steam wishlists and await further updates.