Borderlands Timeline Guide: Play the Saga in Chronological Order

Borderlands: A Franchise Timeline and Guide

Borderlands, a celebrated looter-shooter franchise, has expanded beyond video games into comics, novels, and even a movie. This guide provides a chronological timeline of the games, helping both newcomers and veteran fans navigate the series. The recent film adaptation, while not critically acclaimed, marks a significant milestone for the franchise. With Borderlands 4 on the horizon, now's the perfect time to catch up.

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How Many Borderlands Games Exist?

Seven main canon games and two non-canon titles (Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball and Borderlands Legends) currently exist.

Where to Begin Your Borderlands Journey?

While starting with Borderlands 1 is recommended for a complete narrative experience, any of the three main trilogy games offer a solid introduction to the gameplay. All three are available on modern platforms.

Chronological Order of Canon Borderlands Games (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 and various creatures. The game's success launched the looter-shooter genre.

2. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014): A prequel set on Elpis, the moon of Pandora. Features new Vault Hunters (Athena, Wilhelm, Nisha, and Claptrap) and explores Handsome Jack's rise to power.

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

4. Tales From The Borderlands (2014-2015): A Telltale Games episodic adventure focusing on Rhys and Fiona, two unlikely characters caught in a grand adventure involving a Vault. A significant piece of Borderlands canon.

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

6. Borderlands 3 (2019): Introduces new Vault Hunters (Amara, FL4K, Zane, and Moze) who confront the villainous Siren twins, Troy and Tyreen, across multiple planets.

7. New Tales From The Borderlands (2022): A sequel to Tales From The Borderlands, featuring new protagonists (Anu, Octavio, and Fran) facing off against Tediore Corporation and its CEO.

Release Order of All Borderlands Games:

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 suggests further expansion of the Borderlands universe in the coming years.