Borderlands Creator and Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford promised to do whatever he can to fulfill terminally ill Borderlands fan Caleb McAlpine's request to play the upcoming Borderlands 4 early.
Terminally Ill Borderlands Fan Wishes to Play Borderlands 4 Early
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford Promises They’ll Do “Whatever They Can to Make Something Happen”
Caleb McAlpine, a 37-year-old Borderlands fan facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, reached out to the community on Reddit with a deeply heartfelt request: He wants to see Borderlands 4 before he passes. Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in August, Caleb shared his love for the Borderlands series and his wish to experience the upcoming looter-shooter, currently set for a 2025 release.
"So I am a diehard Borderlands fan and don’t know if I will be around for Borderlands 4," said McAlpine. "Is there anyone that knows how to get in touch with Gearbox to see if there is a way to play the game early?"
His heartfelt plea didn’t go unnoticed by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, who responded on Twitter (X) with a promise to help make Caleb’s dream a reality. In his tweet, Pitchford thanked everyone who reached out to him and assured Caleb that they would "do whatever we can to make something happen." Since then, Pitchford said that they have been "chatting via e-mail."
Borderlands 4 was unveiled at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024, with Gearbox announcing a tentative release window for 2025. However, without a specific release date, the game remains over a year away, barring any unexpected development delays.
Caleb McAlpine, unfortunately, doesn’t have the luxury of time. According to his GoFundMe page, the 37-year-old was diagnosed with stage 4 colon and liver cancer. In his Reddit post, he said that doctors estimate that he only has 7 to 12 months to live, with a maximum of two years even with successful chemotherapy.
Despite all of these, McAlpine tries to remain optimistic. "Some days will be harder than others, and some days I will want to give up," said McAlpine in an update on his GoFundMe page back in September. "But I just think about Job from the Bible and how everything was taken from him, but he never lost his faith. And that’s what I have, faith that God will direct the doctors to heal me so I can continue to be the loving, adorable annoying Caleb that you all know and love."
At the time of writing, his GoFundMe page has raised $6,210 dollars with 128 donations, just a few thousand dollars shy from his $9,000 goal. The funds raised will be used for his medical expenses, supplies, and other essential costs to aid his battle with cancer.
Gearbox’s History of Granting Fan Wishes in Borderlands
This isn’t the first time Gearbox has shown compassion towards ailing fans. In May of 2019, then 27-year-old Trevor Eastman, a Borderlands fan who fought against "esophageal, stomach, and liver cancer," received an early copy of Borderlands 3.
"One of the people from 2k has been talking to me (not sure if I'm allowed to say who so I won't mention a name) and he's making it happen," said Eastman. "They're flying somebody out at the beginning of June most likely to give me a copy of the game. I just wanted to thank you all so much for helping make this dream come true. It means the world to me that you all cared enough to do that for me."
Sadly, Eastman passed away in October of that same year. In tribute, Gearbox named the legendary weapon, Trevonator, after him.
In 2011, following the passing of Borderlands fan Michael Mamaril at the age of 22, his friend Carlos made a request to Gearbox. Carlos asked that the developers include a tribute from Claptrap, Mamaril's favorite character, in Borderlands 2.
In response, Gearbox not only honored this wish but also went above and beyond. They created an NPC named after Mamaril, who can be found in Sanctuary. This friendly NPC will generously reward fellow Vault Hunters with random high-quality items. Receiving one of these items from Mamaril will earn players the special "Tribute to A Vault Hunter" achievement.
Borderlands 4’s release date may still be ways off, but McAlpine and other eager Vault Hunters can take solace in the fact that Gearbox promised to leave no stone unturned to ensure it’s a game that they will cherish. As Pitchford stated in a press release with Business Wire after the game’s announcement, "All of us at Gearbox have massive ambitions for Borderlands 4 and are putting everything we have into making everything we love about Borderlands better than ever before while taking the game to new levels in exciting new directions."
As to what these directions entail, fans will simply need to wait for further details. In the meantime, players can add Borderlands 4 to their Steam wishlist and stay informed about the game’s release date and time by checking out our article below.
