What order should I play Borderlands 3?

As a hardcore Borderlands fan and content creator, the #1 question I get asked all the time is: "What order should I play Borderlands 3 and the other Borderlands games in?"

It‘s a fair question – with 3 mainline entries, 1 prequel, a telltale game, and a bazillion DLCs to choose from, the best play order can definitely get confusing, especially for newcomers to this looter shooter series.

Well, vault hunters, you came to the right place! In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll be breaking down the ideal play order to enjoy Borderlands 3 and the rest of the Borderlands universe to the fullest.

The Recommended Borderlands Play Order

If you really want to get the most out of the epic storylines and understand all the references in Borderlands 3, I highly recommend playing all the Borderlands games in release order:

You‘ll pick up on a lot more of the story nuances, character callbacks, jokes, etc. if you play the games in chronological order leading up to the long-awaited third entry.

According to Gearbox President Randy Pitchford: "Every single one of these games is a sequel to Borderlands 1. They just advance the timeline forward."

So by playing all 4 main games first, you‘ll have the complete background needed. I‘ll break down what exactly happens in each game below.

What Happens in Each Borderlands Game Storyline

Let‘s briefly recap what goes down plot-wise in every Borderlands game so you know why it‘s worth playing through them all:

Borderlands (2009)

• On the planet of Pandora, 4 vault hunters seek out legendary alien riches in underground Vaults
• They open the first Vault discovered on Pandora, defeating The Destroyer monster within
• This sets off a chain of events leading to more Vaults being uncovered

Borderlands 2 (2012)

• Takes place 5 years later with a new set of vault hunters
• Handsome Jack rules over Pandora with his Hyperion Corporation
• Vault hunters seek to defeat Jack, who wants to unlock and control a powerful Warrior inside a Vault

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)

• Prequel game telling Handsome Jack‘s origin story
• Shows events leading up to him becoming main villain by BL2
• Provides critical backstory filling the 5 year gap between BL1 ➡️ BL2

Tales from the Borderlands (2014-2015)

• Story-driven point-and-click adventure game made by Telltale
• Focuses on Rhys of Hyperion and con artist Fiona as main protagonists
• Set after BL2, expands the Borderlands universe with a deep, funny story
• Introduces important characters who appear later in Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 (2019)

• The long-awaited threequel and what this entire guide is about!
• Set 5 years after BL2 and Tales from the Borderlands
• Vault hunters battle Calypso Twins seeking ultimate power from new Vaults
• All previous playable characters return alongside newcomers

As you can see, the events of past games directly impact the present Borderlands 3 plot. From Lilith losing her powers to Rhys becoming a CEO to the legacy of Handsome Jack, knowing those backstories makes BL3 far more meaningful.

Can You Play Borderlands 3 Without Playing the Others First?

Now you might be wondering: "What if I don‘t want to play through all the old Borderlands games?" "Can I just directly start with Borderlands 3?"

The quick answer is: Yes, you absolutely can enjoy Borderlands 3 as a standalone game!

Gearbox designed BL3 to be welcoming for both longtime loot shooter fans AND series newcomers.

The intro video summarizes previous events well. You start out as a fresh new Vault Hunter. While past characters make appearances, you don‘t need to know them to follow the Calypso Twins main storyline.

BL3 does an excellent job quickly bringing you up to speed on the key plot points. You‘ll still have a blast discovering new worlds beyond Pandora, shooting crazy guns, seeing wild characters, and uncovering Vault secrets.

However, I will say the story, references, jokes, and relationships will resonate more emotionally if you take the time to play past series titles first.

Little moments like Lilith and Brick‘s fist bump, Vaughn and Rhys high-fiving, or hearing Aurelia call the new villains "dreadful wastes of oxygen" hit harder once you see their full journeys unfold.

So while absolutely not required, if you really want to maximize enjoyment and understanding of this special game, experience the previous adventures leading up to Borderlands 3 first!

Alright, you‘ve made it through the main series…now what about DLC expansions? 🤔

Borderlands 3 DLC Play Order

Borderlands 3 has had 4 excellent story-based DLC campaigns adding tons of content since launch:

• Moxxi‘s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot
• Guns, Love, and Tentacles
• Bounty of Blood
• Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck

I recommend playing these Borderlands 3 DLCs in release order for the proper continuation of events after the main game‘s ending:

1. Moxxi‘s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot (December 2019)
2. Guns, Love, and Tentacles (March 2020)
3. Bounty of Blood (June 2020)
4. Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck (September 2020)

Each one can provide from 5-15+ hours of additional adventuring. They feature great self-contained stories, worthwhile loot pools, and flesh out side characters even more.

Moxxi‘s big casino heist, Hammerlock & Wainwright‘s lovecraftian wedding, a wild west bounty hunt, and journeying through Krieg‘s mind – all make for superb post-game content.

And there‘s still more DLCs in development! By playing the existing packs in order, you‘ll be all ready for whatever comes next in the ever-expanding Borderlands universe.

So in summary, here is…

The Definitive Borderlands Play Order Recap

For both newcomers and series vets, if you want the complete, ideal Borderlands experience leading up to Borderlands 3, I strongly recommend playing in release order:

1. Borderlands (2009)
2. Borderlands 2 (2012)
3. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)
4. Tales from the Borderlands (2014-2015)
5. Borderlands 3 (2019)
6. All Borderlands 3 DLC expansions in release order

Will this require over 100+ hours to complete? Sure.

But look at it this way…you‘ll have a blast with the hilarious adventures, exhilarating combat, captivating narratives, quirky characters, bazillions of guns, and terrific co-op!

So do yourself a favor and take the time to experience this special game series properly from start to finish. Just be sure to hydrate and take occasional breaks from Pandora‘s madness! 😆

And there you have it – hopefully this guide clears up the ideal play order to fully enjoy Borderlands 3 and all it has to offer. Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments, vault hunters!