Where to Start · Borderlands
Where to Start with Borderlands
Borderlands is Gearbox Software's looter-shooter series set on the planet Pandora and its surrounding systems — cel-shaded visuals, billions of procedurally generated guns, irreverent humour, and co-op gameplay that scales from solo to four players. The franchise invented the looter-shooter genre and despite significant competition since, remains the definitive version of it.
The series has four mainline entries plus spinoffs, and unlike most shooters the story builds continuously across games — characters, factions, and plot threads carry forward in ways that reward playing in order.
If you only play one Borderlands game
Play Borderlands 2 (2012). It is the peak of the series — the best writing, the best villain in Handsome Jack, the most balanced gameplay loop, and the most content. Handsome Jack is one of gaming's great antagonists: genuinely funny, genuinely threatening, and present throughout the game in a way that most open world villains never manage. The Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep DLC is widely considered the best DLC in the franchise and one of the best DLC expansions in gaming. Borderlands 2 is available as part of the Borderlands Legendary Collection on Switch or the Handsome Collection on PS4/Xbox.
Should you play Borderlands 1 first?
The original Borderlands (2009) is a solid game but rougher in every way — less personality, less writing quality, more repetitive structure. Its story feeds into Borderlands 2 but the connection is loose enough that you can start with 2 and go back to 1 later. If you want the full context for certain characters and locations in BL2, play BL1 first. If you want the best experience immediately, start with BL2. Borderlands Game of the Year Enhanced on PC/PS4/Xbox is the definitive version of the original.
Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 (2019) has the best gunplay in the series — movement, shooting, and gun variety are all significantly improved over BL2. Its writing is widely considered weaker than BL2's, with the villain duo failing to land the way Handsome Jack did. Despite the writing complaints, BL3 is an excellent co-op game and the most mechanically refined entry. Play it after BL2. Its story continues threads from BL2 and the Pre-Sequel so you want BL2 context before arriving here.
Tales from the Borderlands
Tales from the Borderlands (2014–2015) is a Telltale adventure game set between BL2 and BL3. It is widely considered the best story in the franchise — Rhys and Fiona are excellent protagonists and the writing is sharper than any of the mainline games. If you like narrative adventure games alongside your looter-shooters, play Tales after BL2. Its story has direct consequences in BL3.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (2022) is a standalone spinoff — a full Borderlands game set in a fantasy tabletop RPG world narrated by Tiny Tina. It does not require any prior Borderlands knowledge, which makes it a valid entry point if the fantasy setting appeals more than the sci-fi one. The gunplay is BL3-level quality. Weaker endgame than the mainline series but a fun standalone experience.
Recommended order
Borderlands 2 → Tales from the Borderlands → Borderlands 3 → Borderlands 1 (for completion). Tiny Tina's Wonderlands can be played at any point. The Pre-Sequel (2014) fills in the Handsome Jack backstory and is worth playing between BL1 and BL2 if you want the complete picture — it's included in the Handsome Collection.
What to skip
Nothing needs to be skipped but the Pre-Sequel is the lowest priority entry — it adds context but the gameplay loop is the weakest of the mainline games. Borderlands 3's endgame content (Mayhem Mode, raids) is optional unless you want the full looter-shooter grind.