We don't know much about Borderlands 4 yet, other than that it's supposed to launch in 2025. All we know is that it could be pushed back to 2026 if there are post-development issues that need to be ironed out. One terminally ill fan, unsure if he would still be around by then, contacted the community and Gearbox in hopes of playing an early version.
Gamer Caleb McAlpine, 37, posted about his late-stage cancer diagnosis on October 23, saying he would be lucky to have “less than 2 years” to live if chemotherapy helps, and if the cancer continues to progress rapidly , then life will be shorter. progress. His only wish? Play Borderlands 4 as early as possible, no matter what stage of development it is currently in. He admitted it was a “long shot,” but the community and Gearbox were quick to deliver.
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Via IGN, we've learned that his post quickly went viral, “receiving over 19,000 likes on Reddit alone,” and eventually reached Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, who swore To “make things happen.” Fast forward to November 26th, Caleb thanked everyone for the opportunity and showed off some photos of his trip to Gearbox headquarters.
“Caleb is cool and a player who really understands Borderlands. I'm so glad he got the chance to play. I pray he joins when we're done. Thank you, Internet, for signaling Caleb's story,” Pitchford Adding that he also has his own follow-up on X/Twitter. The official Gearbox account also commented on his visit: “We are so grateful to the Borderlands community for rallying around Caleb after he shared his story a few weeks ago. His courage, strength, and determination are an inspiration to us all. “
As part of the aforementioned post-visit post, Caleb added that everything Gearbox has had so far is “amazing,” and that he and a friend enjoyed a tour of Gearbox after flying first class. Of course, they'll all have to sign non-disclosure agreements, so the rest of us will be wondering if the studio will go with the more realistic art style seen in the CG trailers, or the usual cartoon look.
Regardless, it's the heart-warming news the Borderlands community needed after this summer's utterly horrific live-action movie flopped and 2019's Borderlands 3 failed to deliver on its narrative. It's underwhelming and not up to the standards of modern looter shooters. It’s also a great reminder of what gaming is ultimately about and how important cultivating a healthy online environment is for the medium.
We sincerely hope that Caleb is still with us after the game launches, and that he can join the rest of Borderlands' lovely, war-loving community in opening tons of loot and weapons crates.
