The Tool Desk
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Recommended Borderlands game and DLC order
- Borderlands and its add-ons. Play the original game and its DLC before moving on.
- Borderlands 2 and its DLC, except Commander Lilith. Play the available add-ons, but hold Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary for later.
- Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and its add-ons. Its main story is set between the first two games, but it was released after Borderlands 2. For a first series run, keep it here to follow release order. Its add-ons include The Holodome Onslaught and the full campaign add-on Claptastic Voyage, as listed on Steam.
- Tales from the Borderlands. Play it before the Commander Lilith DLC.
- Borderlands 2: Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary. This is Borderlands 2 DLC and a bridge to Borderlands 3, according to the official Borderlands FAQ. A secondary timeline guide places it after Tales and before Borderlands 3.
- Borderlands 3 and its DLC.
Why release order is best for a first playthrough
Release order preserves the sequence in which the games and their reveals reached players. The main exception is the placement of Commander Lilith: because it bridges Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, play it after Tales from the Borderlands and before Borderlands 3. The official FAQ confirms the bridge between those two games; the more specific placement after Tales comes from a secondary timeline guide, not the official FAQ.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition - Nintendo Switch | $19.93 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Borderlands 4 Standard - PC Steam [Online Game Code] | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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POP Funko Games: Borderlands 4 - Claptrap | $13.61 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Borderlands: Game of The Year Edition - PlayStation 4 | $13.51 | Buy on Amazon |
This is a practical route, not a mandatory one. The available evidence does not establish a definitive spoiler-aware position for every small DLC, so the sequence above groups those add-ons with their games rather than claiming a precise chronology for each one.
Release order vs. chronological order
| Approach | Best for | What changes | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release order | A first series playthrough and preserving the release-era reveal sequence | Keep The Pre-Sequel after Borderlands 2; play Commander Lilith after Tales and before Borderlands 3. | A secondary timeline guide recommends release order; the official FAQ confirms Commander Lilith bridges Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3. |
| Story-focused order | A replay focused on the main in-universe events | Move the main Pre-Sequel campaign between Borderlands and Borderlands 2. | The Xbox Legendary Collection listing places its story between those games. Its framing scenes make the entire game more complicated than a simple chronological block. |
The two approaches answer different questions: release order prioritizes the experience as the series unfolded, while moving The Pre-Sequel earlier prioritizes the main events’ in-universe chronology. The latter is a reasonable lore-replay choice, but it is not the best default for a first run.
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#1 Best Overall
- YOUR VAULT HUNTER, YOUR PLAYSTYLE: Become one of four extraordinary Vault Hunters, each with unique abilities, playstyles, deep skill trees, and tons of personalization options.
- LOCK, LOAD, AND LOOT: With bazillions of guns and gadgets, every fight is an opportunity to score new gear. Firearms with self-propelling bullet shields? Check. Guns that grow legs and chase down enemies while hurling verbal insults? Yeah, got that too.
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- Includes: Borderlands 3 base game, Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot, Guns, Love, and Tentacles: The Marriage of Wainwright & Hammerlock, Bounty of Blood, Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck, Designer's Cut, Director's Cut, and 30+ cosmetic items.
Where spin-offs fit
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and New Tales from the Borderlands are optional if your goal is to follow the main game-and-DLC sequence above. The official Pandora’s Box FAQ says the bundle includes four Borderlands games with DLC and both Tales games, but excludes Wonderlands because it does not take place on Pandora. That explains the bundle’s contents; it does not establish a complete chronology for the spin-offs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Finding the relevant collections
If you are checking bundle contents, the Xbox store listing for the Borderlands Legendary Collection names Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, Borderlands 2, and The Pre-Sequel, plus add-on content, for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Verify the edition and platform before buying; the listing does not establish availability from any other retailer.
Rank #2
- Pre-order Borderlands 4 and receive the Gilded Glory Pack featuring a Vault Hunter Skin, a Weapon Skin, and an ECHO-4 Drone Skin!*
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- FIGHT SOLO OR CO-OP: Wreaking havoc across Kairos is awesome alone and even better with friends in 2-player splitscreen or up to 4-player online co-op.** Borderlands 4 is designed for co-op from the ground up; whether you're hunting for loot, tackling missions, or wandering freely, level scaling and individual difficulty keeps the party together and having fun.
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Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary requires Borderlands 2 and is selected from the Fast Travel map at “Fight for Sanctuary,” according to its official FAQ. The FAQ also contains historical platform and access information, which should not be treated as current purchasing guidance.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Bazillions of guns: rocket-launching shotguns, enemy-torching revolvers, smgs that Fire Lightning rounds, and tons more.
- Radical art style: traditional rendering combined with hand-drawn textures give Borderlands its iconic style.
- Intense vehicular combat: behind the wheel, engage in frenetic vehicle-to-vehicle combat.
- Co-op frenzy: online or together on the couch, tear through enemies as a Crew of up to 4.
- With improved character models, weapons, textures, and more, Borderlands shines on a 4K display.
Rank #3
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
