Terminally Ill Fan Gets Borderlands 4 Early Access Support

# Terminally Ill Fan Gets Borderlands 4 Early Access Support

The Borderlands community has once again shown its heart of gold by rallying around a terminally ill fan. Caleb McAlpine, a self-described “diehard Borderlands fan,” was diagnosed with stage four cancer in August. With Borderlands 4 set for release in 2025, McAlpine was worried he might not be around to experience the highly anticipated title.

He took to the Borderlands 3 subreddit, posting a heartfelt message asking if anyone could help him get in touch with Gearbox to see if he could have an early chance to play the game. The community responded in full force, with his post garnering over 16,000 upvotes and catching the attention of Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford.

Pitchford is now in direct contact with McAlpine and has promised to “do whatever we can to make something happen.” This isn’t the first time the Borderlands fanbase and developers have united to fulfill a terminally ill fan’s wish. In 2019, a stage 4 cancer patient named Trevor Eastman was able to go hands-on with Borderlands 3 before its launch.

The Borderlands series has a history of paying tribute to its fans. In Borderlands 2, an NPC was named after a late fan, Michael Mamaril, after a friend reached out asking for an in-game eulogy. This kind of community support is a reminder of the strong bonds that form over a shared love of games.

McAlpine has also launched a GoFundMe to help cover costs associated with his cancer treatment. The Borderlands community’s response to his plea is a heart-warming reminder of the impact that games can have on people’s lives.