Rockstar Games Lets Terminally-Ill Fan Play 'Red Dead Redemption 2'

Rockstar granted a terminally-ill patient's wish to play Red Dead Redemption 2 ahead of the game's release date.

Red Dead Redemption 2 isn't out until October 26th, but Rockstar Games gave one fan in the Netherlands an early look at the game after his family reached out to the game's creators. Gamersnet first reported news of the patient's wish and explained how Rockstar accommodated it by saying that the Red Dead Redemption 2 fan, Jurian, approached Gamersnet with the story.

Via a translation of the report, Jurian shared his story with Gamersnet by reaching out to them on Facebook and said that he was granted the opportunity to play Red Dead Redemption 2 early. Jurian has Neurofibromatosis Type 2, a chronic disease that he says he's been dealing with since 2014. He said that he was afflicted by many benign tumors, but after fighting the disease for years, he said "I am done now."

Jurian told Gamersnet that he was waiting on Red Dead Redemption 2 to come out when his father contacted the publisher to see if there was any way they could make an early exception for Jurian's situation so that he could experience the game. His account of the story says that Rockstar's Netherlands team was willing to accommodate the request but had to get clearance from Rockstar headquarters first. After getting the request approved, two Rockstar employees visited Jurian within the week.

He continued his story by saying that he was able to see a private demonstration of the game and "after an afternoon of playing they sadly took the game back with them." Jurian said that was inspired to share his story after reading a story about Nintendo granting a similar wish to allow a patient to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ahead of its December release date.

Gamersnet said that both Rockstar Games and Jurian's family have confirmed the details in the initial report.

Nintendo granted a cancer patient's wish in September and visited the bedridden gamer with the E3 demo of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but it and Rockstar Games aren't the only companies that have made headlines recently for such actions. Bethesda gave a 12-year-old boy the chance to play Fallout 76 ahead of the game's November release date while also granting him a signed Power Armor helmet.

Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 is scheduled to release on October 26th. Gamersnet's full report about Jurian's story can be read here.