Borderlands is the the OG looter shooter that put this genre on the map back in 2009 and since then this franchise has churned out multiple entries ranging from the similar looter shooter formula to offshoots like the Telltale Tales from the Borderlands. Depending on the person you ask each game has a dedicated fan base raving about their particular choice. So the question arises whether it is necessary to play the previous Borderlands games to before you jump to the newest entry in the mix.
In this article, we will focus on if you can just jump into Borderlands 3 specifically without having played any of the previous games or whether you should play all the other games beforehand.
The short and to-the-point answer to this question is NO, you don’t have to play the previous Borderlands games to start Borderlands 3. Though you might miss out on some back story and setting but is not a deal breaker.
Below we will go into detail and if you are interested in playing the previous Borderlands games then we will also discuss the order in which you should play them for maximum continuity and context.
Related: When Should You Start the Borderlands 3 DLC
Do You Need To Play Previous Borderlands For Borderlands 3?
As mentioned above you do not need to play other Borderlands games before playing Borderlands 3. Though Borderlands story is something that builds up over the course of multiple games, you still get a decent enough introduction in Borderlands 3 to all the characters and happenings in the world of this game. If you’re primarily going after the Borderlands experience of the game, the potent gunplay, or the trademark Borderlands humor and outlandish goofiness then you will be absolutely fine without playing the other games.
It is like watching Marvel movies without having watched all the individual superhero movies that lead up to the grand Avengers event, you will enjoy the fun spectacle of it and get some bits of the story and everything that has happened previously but you may be missing out on a lot of the finer details and a ton of the references in the new game.
Borderlands 3’s difference from some of the other titles also comes from a set of new main villains introduced in this entry hence you won’t be missing out on any prior details. Borderlands 3 also reintroduces a ton of characters from previous games in a variety of ways and as such the experience is least enriched by having played the other games.
Previous Borderlands Games
Below are all the games in the Borderlands franchise with their respective release dates minus the recently launched Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands as it is only set in the same universe and not part of the grand scheme of things.
Related: Are Borderlands And Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Similar?
- Borderlands: Released October 20, 2009
- Borderlands 2: Released September 18, 2012
- Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: Released October 14, 2014
- Tales from the Borderlands: Released November 25, 2014
- Borderlands 3: Released September 13, 2019
While the above-mentioned order is the one in which the games were released it is not recommended to play them in this particular order as there are a lot more nuanced things regarding that.
Which Borderlands Game Is More Important To The Story
As can be seen above there are many games in this series and not all of them are crucial to the story hence their importance to the overall world varies. If you are interested in exploring the Borderlands lore then we will recommend below which ones to opt for.
Related: The Ultimate Borderlands 3 Boss Farming Guide
Borderlands – Not Important To The Story
The entry that we would recommend you to skip when it comes to the story specifically is Borderlands 1. This particular part was simply not nearly as focused/refined on the writing or the story as it was more about just shooting things. Borderlands also had a very different vibe from the rest of the series. If you just want to play for the experience then go for it but story wise it doesn’t have that much to offer and you’ll be better off if you just read or watch a quick summary of it.
Borderlands 2 – Important To The Story
Borderlands 2 is the game that we would recommend playing if you want to catch up to the story. This particular entry adds the most to the overall world and it will have the most references in Borderlands 3. It was the most popular one of the series and one that cemented the Borderlands franchise.
Borderlands 2 also has the Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary DLC which directly bridges the gap from Borderlands 2 to Borderlands 3. It kind of catches up on all the stuff that happens in between to some degree. Though it doesn’t really tell the whole story of all the other games but it does give you some insight and a better understanding of how things transitioned from one game to the next.
Related: Every Borderlands 2 Class Ranked (Weakest to Best)
The unfortunate thing here is that this DLC was originally free when it came out but it no longer is and now, depending on if it’s on sale or not, it goes for around 10 to 15 dollars, which is very hard to justify. The base game is worth its price and it’s consistently on sale but this DLC is considered one of the worst DLCs and one should only play it for the story. You can always watch a Youtube video to get a summary of it.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel – Not Important To The Story
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel‘s goal is to add more background and enrich the story of Borderlands 2. The events in this game take place before Borderlands 2 therefore it’s not quite as necessary for Borderlands 3. If you are interested in Borderlands 2 then this will add to that.
Tales from the Borderlands – Important To The Story
Tales from the Borderlands has more of a focus on events that happen after Borderlands 2 and as such it makes more sense to play this after you are done with Borderlands 2 and looking to invest more time in the story leading up to Borderlands 3. Though do keep in mind that it’s not a looter shooter but rather a narrative-based adventure game that primarily focuses on character building and the choices you make throughout the game.
Related: Is Borderlands 3 Worth It?
Shortest Story Path To Borderlands 3
There are two ways to get the most abridged version of the story of Borderlands before indulging in Borderlands 3:
- Borderlands 2 -> Borderland 3: Direct progression of the story.
- Borderlands 2 -> Tales from the Borderlands -> Borderlands 3: For adding a bit more information on some aspects and some of the important.
The base game of Borderlands 2 will be sufficient to understand the story and at this point, even the Game of the Year edition is heavily discounted. As a side note, this edition also includes the Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep DLC which is the best DLC Borderlands has to offer though it doesn’t add much to the overall story.
The Right Order Of Playing All Borderlands Games
If you wanted to play and experience all of Borderlands games then there are two options:
One order which we don’t recommend following is the logical order of how the games take place technically that is Borderlands -> Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel -> Borderlands 2 -> Tales From The Borderlands -> Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary DLC in Borderlands 2 -> Borderlands 3. This flow is not advisable as Borderlands The Pre-Sequel is told in hindsight meaning that the game expects you to already know the circumstances of everything that happened in Borderlands 2 and to complicate that even more some events of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel weirdly takes place between Tales From The Borderlands. Super confusing I know!
Related: Guide to Mayhem Mode in Borderlands 3
The recommended order of playing all of Borderlands which will make sense the most and everything story-wise will be properly aligned is Borderlands -> Borderlands 2 -> Tales From The Borderlands Episode 1-3 -> Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel -> Tales From The Borderlands Episode 4-5 -> Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary DLC in Borderlands 2 -> Borderlands 3. This is a bit confusing and it is due to the whole story of the Pre-Sequel being told in hindsight and you would want to avoid the story spoilers for Borderlands 2 that happen in the Pre-Sequel.
There is no need to play all of the games for Borderlands 3 but it will be a more enriching experience if you have the knowledge of what’s going on in this world and for that, you can easily just play Borderlands 2. But for players who want to totally immerse themselves in the Borderlands franchise then we have listed down ways you could go about experiencing it.