Terminally ill fan hopes to play Borderlands 4 early, Gearbox CEO vows to "make something happen"

Heart-warming: The tight-knit organization astir Gearbox Software's Borderlands bid is erstwhile again showing its bosom of gold. A instrumentality pinch terminal crab has reached out, expressing a wish to play nan upcoming Borderlands 4 earlier clip runs retired – and nan developers are stepping successful to make it happen.

The communicative began erstwhile Caleb McAlpine, a self-described "diehard Borderlands fan," posted connected nan Borderlands 3 subreddit earlier this week. McAlpine shared that he was diagnosed pinch shape 4 crab backmost successful August. Doctors estimate he has betwixt 7 to 12 months near successful nan worst case, aliases up to 2 years pinch chemotherapy.

With Borderlands 4 presently group for merchandise successful 2025, McAlpine was understandably worried he mightiness not beryllium astir to acquisition nan highly anticipated title. His Reddit station was a heartfelt agelong shot, asking if anyone could thief him get successful touch pinch Gearbox to spot if he could person an early chance to play nan game.

"So I americium a dice difficult borderlands instrumentality and don't cognize if I will beryllium astir for Borderlands 4. Is location anyone that knows really to get successful touch pinch Gearbox to spot if location is simply a measurement to play nan crippled early? Long changeable but thought I would try," he wrote.

The Borderlands organization showed up successful afloat force. McAlpine's station has garnered complete 16,000 upvotes arsenic of this penning and was pinned to nan apical of nan subreddit. It quickly caught nan attraction of Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, who responded that he's now successful nonstop interaction pinch McAlpine and that they'll "do immoderate we tin to make thing happen."

This isn't nan first clip nan Borderlands fanbase and developers person agreed to fulfill a terminally sick fan's wish. Back successful 2019, different shape 4 crab diligent named Trevor Eastman was capable to spell hands-on pinch Borderlands 3 earlier its launch. Sadly, Eastman passed distant later that year, prompting Gearbox to immortalize him successful nan crippled pinch nan legendary "Trevonator" weapon.

The bid besides paid tribute to a precocious fan, Michael Mamaril, successful Borderlands 2 successful 2011, aft a friend reached retired asking for an in-game eulogy by Mamaril's favourite character, Claptrap. Not only did Gearbox grounds typical speech that collapsed nan 4th wall, but they besides named an NPC aft him.

The gaming organization often gets a bad rap for toxicity, but these stories are a reminder of nan beardown bonds that shape complete a shared emotion of games.

McAlpine has besides launched a GoFundMe to thief screen costs, which, astatine past check, had raised complete $7,500 toward its $9,000 goal.