Summary
Gearbox Entertainment president and CEO Randy Pitchford, with some help from the online community, was able to personally reach out to a terminally ill gamer who wishes to playBorderlands 4early.Borderlands 4is set to release sometime in 2025, according to a trailer that was unveiled to the public at this year’s Gamescom.
In a recentpost on theBorderlands 3subreddit, Caleb McAlpine, a self-described diehard fan of thepopular looter shooter franchise, revealed that they were diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer in August. The 37-year-old disabled veteran, who goes by the username Cjmac87 on Reddit, explained that they had, at most, less than two years left to live even with successful chemotherapy.
Pitchford announced in a tweet that he is now looking into making something happen for McAlpine after the latter asked if they could playBorderlands 4ahead of its official release. According to McAlpine’s follow-up posts on Reddit, Pitchford personally reached out and even said that he would attempt to get the terminally ill gamer some action with the nextentry in theBorderlandsseries. Both Pitchford and McAlpine thanked the community for making such an exchange possible. “Thank you. The amount of support has been astounding. And just unbelievable to be honest,” McAlpine wrote in a comment to their original post.
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford Reaches Out to Terminally Ill Borderlands Fan
AGoFundMeseeking to help pay for McAlpine’s medical expenses and supplies has raised more than $6,200 out of its $9,000 goal at the time of writing. McAlpine has stage 4 colorectal and liver cancer, according to the page. The disabled veteran has gone through four chemotherapy sessions and is set to undergo their fifth one.
Aside from the Gamescom announcement trailer, Gearbox Software has also released concept art for the nextBorderlandstitle. Not much is known about the game, but Pitchford has confirmed that theprimary antagonist forBorderlands 4will not be Handsome Jack. Considered by many to be one of the best characters in the entire franchise, Handsome Jack was the main villain in the series' critically acclaimed second major installment and he also appeared inBorderlands: The Pre-Sequelfrom 2014. According to Pitchford, the character featured in theBorderlands 4trailer will end up being more dangerous and sinister than Handsome Jack.
Borderlands 4was revealed following the release of the Lionsgate Films adaptation in August. While Pitchford said he would have made different choices for thepoorly receivedBorderlandsfilm, the Gearbox Entertainment head executive claimed that it was still fun to watch.
WHERE TO PLAY
Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.Crash into Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory. Wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees, and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities.Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing mayhem across the planet.Ignite a resistance and blast your way through mechanical monstrosities, bloodthirsty bandits, and vicious beasts. Amass an arsenal of death-dealing firepower to wreak havoc as you tear your way across Kairos.Fight solo or in co-op with up to three other players in this immense sci-fi adventure, packed with free-form combat and exploration, pulse-pounding boss fights, infinitely varied loot drops, and an eclectic cast of unforgettable characters new and old.
