The rambunctious action RPG series from Gearbox and 2K Games made a name for itself with its irreverent FPS titles, but in more recent years theBorderlandsfranchise has begun to branch out. With spinoff titles like the twisted take on tabletop gaming,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, and the recently released episodic adventureNew Tales from the Borderlands, 2K Games has been exploring new directions.New Tales from the Borderlandsmay have been a deviation from the more recognizable looter shooter formula, but it still retains a lot of what makes the series memorable, including the IP’s ability to leave the door open for sequels.
From mechanical companions overflowing with personality to a group of ragtag heroes somehow saving the day,New Tales from the Borderlandstakes many familiar ingredientsfrom previousBorderlandsgames and gives them their own spin. The cast of characters might have been (mostly) new to the universe and the story might have been original, butNew Tales from the Borderlandshad the franchise’s unmistakable humor – something a sequel could definitely play with more, especially when it comes to its title.
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The Borderlands Series' Naming Conventions
TheBorderlandsfranchise is made up of a number of mainline entries in addition to numerous spinoff titles, comics, books, and even an upcoming film. For the most part, the main games have followed traditional naming conventions,withBorderlands,Borderlands 2, andBorderlands 3keeping things plain and simple with sequential numbering and not a tagline in sight. It wasn’t until 2014’s entry into the franchise that 2K Games decided to get a little weird with it, releasingBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel– an unusual title that referred to the game’s position as both a sequel toBorderlands 2in terms of its release date and a prequel in terms of the narrative.
It may have seemed like a bit of a mouthful, but considering theevents ofBorderlands: The Pre-Sequeltake place beforeBorderlands 2but after the originalBorderlands, it makes a certain kind of sense. It also fits in perfectly with the franchise’s slightly off-the-wall humor that’s present throughout all of its games and could be an indication of an interesting naming convention thatNew Tales from the Borderlandscould use. Following on fromTales from the Borderlands,New Talesabandoned the traditional numerical naming, and any follow-up title could take this a step further, calling itselfNew New Tales from the Borderlands.
Where The Tales From The Borderlands Could Be Heading
New Tales from the Borderlandsfollowed its Telltale-developed predecessor with an episodic structure and a branching narrative, but it wasn’t quite able to live up to the originalTales from the Borderlandswhen it came to popularity with players. While many felt thatNew Tales from the Borderlandswas able to capture the franchise’s well-known comedic tone and introduced some instantlyiconicBorderlandscharacters like the debonair killbot LOU13, its story didn’t quite come together. The title’s gameplay also felt a bit dated to some, and overall reviews were average at best.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that 2K Games is done with theTales from the Borderlandsseries, and afterthe release ofTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsit’s clear the developer is happy to explore new avenues for the overallBorderlandsfranchise. Having a spinoff that focuses more on narrative and characters alongside the main series would giveBorderlandsfans plenty of options when it comes to experiencing the world of the games. After some necessary tweaks and improvements,New New Tales from the Borderlandscould be a welcome addition.
New Tales from the Borderlandsis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
