Choose Borderlands 2
Choose Borderlands 2 if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.4% positive across 122,109 reviews.
Borderlands 2 vs Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel both land in Action, RPG on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, RPG on Steam. Borderlands 2 (2012) is 2 years older than Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014). Borderlands 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (90.4% positive) than Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (75.8% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Choose Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 18,904 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel sit in Action and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Borderlands 2 |  Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Genres | Action, RPG | Action, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 39.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.4% positive (122,109 reviews) | 75.8% positive (18,904 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Mac), Aspyr (Linux) | 2K Australia, Gearbox Software, Aspyr (Linux) |
Side by side
- Both share Action, RPG on Steam.
- Borderlands 2 (2012) is 2 years older than Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014).
- Borderlands 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (90.4% positive) than Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (75.8% positive).
- Borderlands 2 is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (19.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Borderlands 2 vs Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel — FAQ
- Which is better, Borderlands 2 or Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel?
- On Steam reviews Borderlands 2 scores higher (90.4% positive) than Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (75.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Borderlands 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Borderlands 2 or Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel first?
- If you want chronology, Borderlands 2 (2012) came out before Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel similar?
- They overlap on Action, RPG on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Borderlands 2 ships Co-op; Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel ships Co-op.