Borderlands: A Franchise Timeline and Guide for New and Returning Fans

Borderlands, a celebrated looter-shooter franchise, has expanded beyond video games, encompassing comics, novels, and even a tabletop game. This month marks a significant milestone with the release of the Borderlands movie. With Borderlands 4 on the horizon, now's the perfect time to revisit or discover this iconic series. This timeline will guide you through the games in chronological order and by release date.

Are you planning to see the Borderlands movie?

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How Many Borderlands Games Exist?

The Borderlands universe boasts seven canon games and spin-offs, plus two non-canon titles (Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball and Borderlands Legends).

Where to Begin Your Borderlands Journey?

While starting with Borderlands 1 offers the most complete narrative experience, any of the three main games provide a solid introduction to the gameplay. All three are readily available on modern platforms.

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Borderlands Games in Chronological Order (with minor spoilers):

1. Borderlands (2009): Follows Lilith, Brick, Roland, and Mordecai as they hunt for the legendary Vault on Pandora, battling the Crimson Lance, wildlife, and bandits. The game's success launched the looter-shooter genre.

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2. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014): Bridges the gap between the first two games, introducing new Vault Hunters (Athena, Wilhelm, Nisha, and Claptrap) on Elpis, Pandora's moon. This prequel significantly expands on Handsome Jack's backstory.

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3. Borderlands 2 (2012): Returns to Pandora with a new team of Vault Hunters (Maya, Axton, Salvador, and Zer0) facing off against the tyrannical Handsome Jack. Often considered the best in the series.

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4. Tales From The Borderlands (2014-2015): A Telltale Games episodic adventure featuring Rhys and Fiona, whose con-gone-wrong leads them on a Vault-hunting quest. Key to the overall Borderlands canon.

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5. Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (2022): A fantasy-themed spin-off based on the Borderlands 2 DLC, featuring Tina as the Dungeon Master. Retains core Borderlands gameplay with a unique twist.

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6. Borderlands 3 (2019): Introduces Amara, FL4K, Zane, and Moze as they confront the siren twins, Troy and Tyreen, across multiple planets. Features many returning characters.

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7. New Tales From The Borderlands (2022): Follows Anu, Octavio, and Fran as they navigate a chaotic adventure involving a powerful artifact and the Tediore corporation.

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Borderlands Games 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 Wonderlands (2022) New Tales From The Borderlands (2022) Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball (2023) Borderlands 4 (2025)

The Future of Borderlands:

Borderlands 4 is slated for release on September 23, 2025, promising to be a significant addition to the franchise. Take-Two's acquisition of Gearbox Software suggests further expansion of the Borderlands universe in the coming years.