"Timeline Order for Playing Borderlands Games and Spin-Offs"

Quickly earning a reputation as the face of the looter shooter genre since its release, Borderlands has become one of gaming's most recognizable franchises. Its distinctive cel-shaded art style and the iconic masked psycho character have cemented its place in modern video game culture. The series has expanded beyond gaming into a multimedia phenomenon, including comics, novels, and even a tabletop game.

This month marks a significant milestone for the franchise as it makes its long-awaited leap to the big screen with a film directed by Eli Roth, known for movies like Hostel and Thanksgiving. The movie reintroduces Pandora and its vault-obsessed inhabitants to a new audience. Although the film received mixed reviews, it represents a major step forward for the franchise.

With Borderlands 4 set to launch later this year, the series is poised to attract both new and returning fans eager to dive back into the universe. To help everyone get up to speed, we've compiled a comprehensive timeline of the series, detailing how each game fits into the broader narrative.

Jump to:

• How to play in chronological order
• How to play by release date

How Many Borderlands Games Are There?

There are currently seven Borderlands games and spin-offs that are canon to the series, along with two smaller, non-canon titles: Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball and Borderlands Legends.

Where's The Best Place to Start?

For those interested in the overarching narrative, the best starting point is arguably Borderlands 1. However, if the story isn't your primary concern, any of the mainline trilogy games serve as excellent entry points. All three games share a similar style, scope, and gameplay, and are readily available on modern consoles and PC. If you're eager to follow the saga as intended after watching the movie, beginning with the first game is the recommended approach.

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Every Canon Borderlands Game in Chronological Order

These blurbs contain mild spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.

1. Borderlands (2009)

The game that started it all, Borderlands launched in 2009, introducing players to the adventures of four Vault Hunters: Lilith, Brick, Roland, and Mordecai. Their mission takes them to the volatile planet of Pandora in search of The Vault, rumored to contain unimaginable treasures. Their journey quickly devolves into chaos, with confrontations against the Crimson Lance militia, battles with Pandora's ferocious wildlife, and skirmishes with hordes of bandits. Borderlands became an instant hit, propelling the looter shooter genre forward with its engaging gameplay loop of enemy slaughter, endless gun discovery, and character development. The game was further supported post-launch with four expansions, ranging from zombie-themed islands to a playful nod to Mad Max's Thunderdome.

2. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)

Developed by 2K Australia with Gearbox Software's assistance, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel bridges the narrative gap between the first two games. It follows a new group of Vault Hunters—Athena, Wilhelm, Nisha, and Claptrap—as they search for a Vault on Elpis, Pandora's moon. While offering more of the familiar Borderlands gameplay with new locales and classes, The Pre-Sequel's main draw was expanding on the backstory of Borderlands 2's antagonist, Handsome Jack. The game showcased Jack's descent into villainy and featured many characters who would later appear in Borderlands 2. Post-launch, 2K Australia added several expansions, including Holodome Onslaught and Claptastic Voyage, along with two new playable characters: the Doppelganger and the Baroness.

3. Borderlands 2 (2012)

Borderlands 2, the official sequel, returned players to Pandora in 2012 with a new team of Vault Hunters: Maya, Axton, Salvador, and Zer0. Their mission to find a new Vault puts them in conflict with the planet's tyrannical ruler, Handsome Jack, who attempts to eliminate them early on. Stranded in an icy wasteland after Jack's attack, the team embarks on a quest to uncover his sinister plans and locate the Vault. Borderlands 2 expanded on the original with more quests, new classes, a compelling villain, and an even larger arsenal of guns. Widely regarded as the best in the series, it received extensive post-launch support, including four additional campaigns, two new playable characters, and several Headhunter missions.

4. Tales From The Borderlands (2014 - 2015)

Tales From The Borderlands, developed by Telltale Games, was the first full spin-off, offering an episodic, story-driven adventure set on Pandora. Unlike the mainline games, it focuses on a crook named Fiona and a Hyperion employee, Rhys, who become entangled in a quest for a new Vault after a con goes awry. Set post-Borderlands 2, the game emphasizes a branching narrative influenced by player choices. Tales From The Borderlands has since been recognized as a crucial part of the Borderlands canon, with its characters appearing in Borderlands 3.

5. Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (2022)

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Gearbox Software's latest addition, swaps the futuristic wastelands for a fantasy kingdom. Despite the setting change, it retains the core Borderlands gameplay. Inspired by the beloved Borderlands 2 DLC, Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep, players enter the world of Bunkers and Badasses, guided by the enthusiastic dungeon master, Tiny Tina. The game features a vast array of fantasy enemies, quests, and a new overworld area, alongside traditional Borderlands elements like guns, classes, and expansions.

6. Borderlands 3 (2019)

Seven years after Borderlands 2, Gearbox Software released Borderlands 3 in 2019, introducing new Vault Hunters: Amara, FL4K, Zane, and Moze. Players embark on a mission to stop the siren twins, Troy and Tyreen, who are harnessing Vault power across multiple planets. The game features familiar faces like Lilith, Rhys, Maya, Brick, Zer0, and Claptrap, and offers extensive looter shooter action with new guns, enemies, and classes. Post-launch, Borderlands 3 received four new campaigns, takedown missions, and additional content through designer and director cuts.

7. New Tales From The Borderlands (2022)

New Tales From The Borderlands, the official follow-up to the original, introduces new protagonists: Anu, Octavio, and Fran. After discovering a valuable artifact in a Vault, they find themselves pursued by the Tediore corporation and its CEO, Susan Coldwell. The game focuses on a branching narrative shaped by player choices, featuring dialogue options, QTE combat, and impactful decisions.

Every Borderlands Game in Release Order

• Borderlands (2009)
• Borderlands Legends (2012)
• Borderlands 2 (2012)
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)
• Tales From The Borderlands (2014 - 2015)
• Borderlands 3 (2019)
• Tiny Tina's Wonderland (2022)
• New Tales From The Borderlands (2022)
• Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball (2023)
• Borderlands 4 (2025)

What's Next For Borderlands?

The next major release in the series is Borderlands 4, scheduled for September 23, 2025. Following Gearbox Software's acquisition by Take-Two, studio head Randy Pitchford described the upcoming sequel as "the greatest thing [the studio has] ever done." With Take-Two's focus on expanding the franchise, as mentioned by CEO Strauss Zelnick, fans can expect more frequent projects set in the Borderlands universe in the coming years.