TheBorderlandsfranchise has been around for quite some time now, debuting in 2009, and over the last almost 14 years, it’s cemented itself as one of the greatest co-op shooter series ever made. With some absurd humor,zany characters like Zer0, compelling RPG systems, and fun gunplay,Borderlandshas become a go-to for any gaming friend group, and last yearTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsjoined the fray.
Spinning off from one ofBorderlands' most beloved expansions,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandssees players assume the role of miniature heroes participating in a chaotic game of Bunkers and Badasses, a not-so-subtle take on the immensely popular tabletop RPGDungeons and Dragons. ThoughTiny Tina’s Wonderlandscertainly had its fair share of issues, it ended up being a pretty great spin-off, and it might have paved the way for an almostCall of Duty-like cycle for theBorderlandsfranchise.
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The Borderlands Franchise Could Adopt a Call of Duty-Like Cycle
TheBorderlandsfranchise has played a bit fast and loose with its release schedule so far. There were three years between the firstBorderlandsandBorderlands 2, just two years between that andBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and a whopping five years between that andBorderlands 3. Between them all, there have been whole swathes of large-scale expansions to tide over fans, along with a few spin-offs like Telltale’sTales from the Borderlands, and nowTiny Tina’s Wonderlands. It seems as though aCall of Duty-like pattern could start to emerge.
For well over a decade,theCall of Dutyfranchisehas largely stuck to the same cycle, which began in 2007 withCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. After the release ofModern Warfare, Infinity Ward needed more time to produce a sequel, but Activision was keen to capitalize on the monumental success ofModern Warfare, so Treyarch was tasked with producing an entry for the series. This resulted in the release ofCall of Duty: World at War, which was indeed followed byModern Warfare 2. This development cycle seemed to work for the developers, and they quickly fell into a pattern of alternatingCall of Dutyreleases.
AfterModern Warfare 2, Treyarch started its belovedBlack Opsseries, and withModern Warfarefinishing up, Infinity Ward got a little more experimental with its titles, trying something new withCall of Duty: Ghosts, and failing. After the failure ofGhosts, Sledgehammer Games got its first go at the franchise, delivering the divisiveCall of Duty: Advanced Warfare. After another divisive outing withCall of Duty: WW2, Sledgehammer got a third attempt to prove itself worthy of a third place in the cycle with 2021’sCall of Duty: Vanguard, a fairly solid entry that didn’t quite live up to expectations.
While the currentCall of Dutydevelopment cycle is a little up in the air right now, with rumors circulating that suggest Activision may finally scrap the annual release schedule of the franchise, this cycle would actually work fairly well for theBorderlandsseries and its wider franchise. The cycle could see a fullBorderlandsgame release, it receive its usual handful of DLC expansions, and maybe a year or so later, aTiny Tina’s Wonderlandssequel could launch. For even more variation, a newTales from the Borderlandsgame could even come in between those bigger entries, acting similarly to Sledgehammer’sCall of Dutyreleases. This would give the developers a clear schedule to stick to while also giving them plenty of room for creative expression and experimentation. This cycle would also ensure that fans don’t get too sick of just one type ofBorderlandsgame.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
