Best Looter Shooters to Play After Borderlands: Co-op Alternatives Compared

Short answer: choose Remnant II if your group wants a contained co-op campaign with difficult encounters and character-build progression. Choose The First Descendant if you specifically want a third-person online looter shooter built around customizable characters, weapons, and multiplayer boss fights. Outriders, The Division 2, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands are sensible names to investigate, but the available evidence here only establishes that they appear on a recent Borderlands-alternatives list; check each game’s current official page for editions, platforms, matchmaking, and live-service status before buying.

That distinction matters because “games like Borderlands” can mean two different things: a replayable story campaign that you run with friends, or a persistent online world with continuing activities. The five games below cover both directions, but they do not all preserve Borderlands’ first-person presentation, humor, pacing, or loot structure.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Remnant 2 - PlayStation 5	$30.99	Buy on Amazon
2		Remnant II	$24.00	Buy on Amazon
3		ASRVA Wireless Controller for PS5/PS5 Pro/PC, Hall Effect Joysticks & Triggers (No Drift), 2 Back...	$52.99	Buy on Amazon

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Start with the kind of co-op you actually want

Borderlands combines several pleasures that are easy to treat as one feature: shooting, a constant stream of equipment, flexible character builds, a humorous campaign, and the ability to play with friends. A replacement can match one of those elements while changing the others. Before comparing names, decide which part is non-negotiable.

Choose a contained campaign when the group plays in sessions

A campaign-focused game gives your party a clear sequence of areas, missions, bosses, and character progression. It is the better fit when everyone wants to start together, make visible progress, and finish a story rather than maintain a permanent online routine. Remnant II is the clearest match in this shortlist for that small-group model: its official site says it can be played alone or cooperatively with two other friends, and that each archetype has independent progression plus its own traits, perks, and skills (official Remnant II site).

#1 Best Overall

Remnant 2 - PlayStation 5

• Intense Remnant Combat Experience - A mix of methodical and frenetic ranged/melee combat returns with cunning enemies and large scale boss battles. Choose specific gear and weapons to optimize for the different biomes and battles ahead. Bosses will bring high-level players to team up to overcome the challenge and try to obtain the biggest rewards
• New Worlds to Explore - Players can travel alone or with friends as a team through strange new worlds and beyond, overrun by mythical creatures and deadly foes while trying to stay alive. There are multiple worlds to explore with different types of creatures, weapons, and items. Utilize and upgrade discovered items to take on tougher challenges
• Endless Replayability - Branching quest lines, augments, crafting, and loot rewards will test the resolve of even the most hardened players in dynamically generated dungeons and areas. Playthroughs will feel challenging, varied, and rewarding as players succeed against unrelenting odds. Various stories are woven throughout the different worlds, encouraging exploration and multiple revisits
• New Archetypical Progression - Expanded Archetype system provides players with unique passive bonuses and stunning powers. Multiple Archetypes can be unlocked during play, leveled up, and equipped together for a variety of play styles

$30.99

Buy on Amazon

Choose a persistent structure when the activity loop is the point

A shared-world game is organized around repeatable activities, ongoing character investment, and a community that continues outside one campaign run. That can be ideal if your group enjoys returning for new goals, but it is less like a self-contained Borderlands playthrough. The Division 2 is included in a recent GamesRadar list of Borderlands alternatives with that broader shared-world angle, yet the current edition, platform support, group rules, and live-service details should be confirmed on its official product page before you commit (GamesRadar’s Borderlands-alternatives roundup).

Use the perspective as a first filter

If first-person gunplay is essential, do not assume every looter shooter will feel interchangeable. The First Descendant is explicitly described by the PlayStation Store as a third-person online co-op action RPG looter shooter (PlayStation Store listing). The cited Remnant II page confirms its co-op structure and archetypes but does not establish a first- or third-person label in the material used here. The available source for Outriders, The Division 2, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a recommendation list rather than a current technical specification, so verify perspective from the official listing for your platform.

Quick comparison: what is confirmed and what still needs checking

The table deliberately separates confirmed facts from sensible leads. It does not treat every adjacent shooter as an equally close substitute, and it avoids inventing prices, player counts, cross-play guarantees, or platform lists that the cited material does not establish.

Remnant II: the strongest small-group alternative

What the official description confirms

The official Remnant II site supports a party of up to three players: one person can play solo, or the host can play with two other friends. That makes the game a natural fit for a trio rather than a large raid group. The same description says that archetypes have independent progression and distinctive traits, perks, and skills, giving each player a defined route for developing a character.

Why it fits a Borderlands co-op group

If what you value most is making a build, discovering how it performs in a dangerous encounter, and coordinating with friends, Remnant II preserves the cooperative decision-making side of Borderlands without requiring a persistent shared-world routine. Independent archetype progression also gives a three-person party a reason to discuss roles and complementary abilities instead of simply equipping the same damage setup.

Its appeal is therefore about co-op structure and build identity, not a promise that every Borderlands feature carries over. The cited official material does not describe Borderlands-style weapon volume, a particular campaign tone, or a matching first-person presentation. Treat it as a different combat and exploration experience that rewards a compact, committed group.

Who should choose it

• Choose Remnant II when your regular party has one to three players and wants to stay together for exploration and encounters.
• Choose it when independent character progression matters more than an endless stream of shared-world activities.
• Choose it when your group is comfortable learning encounters and adjusting builds rather than expecting a purely casual run.

Who should look elsewhere

• If your priority is specifically a third-person online looter-shooter format with multiplayer boss battles, The First Descendant is the more direct match in this shortlist.
• If the defining feature for you is Borderlands’ exact humor and presentation, investigate Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands but verify its current details officially.
• If your group wants a continuing shared-world schedule, investigate The Division 2 rather than assuming a contained three-player structure will provide the same cadence.

The First Descendant: third-person online co-op with boss encounters

Format and progression elements

The PlayStation Store describes The First Descendant as a third-person online co-op action RPG looter shooter. Its listing highlights multiplayer co-op boss encounters and customization for characters and weapons. Those details make it the clearest choice here for a player who wants an explicitly online format, a third-person camera, and group fights that revolve around bosses.

The platform date you must not overlook

The same PlayStation Store notice says PS4 support ended on June 19, 2025. Do not list PS4 as a currently supported platform on the strength of older articles or memories. Store eligibility can vary by region and can change, so open the PlayStation listing for your country and check the current platform label before purchasing or downloading. The source used here does not establish current pricing, cross-play rules, subscription requirements, or player-population levels.

How it differs from a Borderlands campaign

The First Descendant’s confirmed identity is an online, third-person looter-shooter loop with multiplayer boss encounters and customizable characters and weapons. That points toward repeatable online activities rather than a guarantee of the same self-contained campaign pacing that Borderlands players may expect. If your group enjoys arranging sessions around bosses and refining equipment, this format may be attractive. If you mainly want to move through a humorous story together from beginning to end, confirm the current campaign structure before treating it as a replacement.

Best fit checklist

• You want third-person rather than first-person shooting.
• You want online co-op and multiplayer boss encounters to be central activities.
• You are willing to verify platform eligibility in your region, especially if anyone still uses PS4.
• You enjoy character and weapon customization as a reason to keep playing.

Outriders: investigate it for a campaign-oriented alternative

Outriders appears in GamesRadar’s list of the best games like Borderlands. That is enough to put it on a research shortlist for readers who want a more campaign-focused co-op alternative, but it is not enough to support a current platform chart, player-count claim, matchmaking guarantee, or detailed build comparison. The roundup is an editorial recommendation, not the game’s current product specification.

Rank #2

Sale

Remnant II

• Intense Remnant Combat Experience - A mix of methodical and frenetic ranged/melee combat returns with cunning enemies and large scale boss battles. Choose specific gear and weapons to optimize for the different biomes and battles ahead. Bosses will bring high-level players to team up to overcome the challenge and try to obtain the biggest rewards
• New Worlds to Explore - Players can travel alone or with friends as a team through strange new worlds and beyond, overrun by mythical creatures and deadly foes while trying to stay alive. There are multiple worlds to explore with different types of creatures, weapons, and items. Utilize and upgrade discovered items to take on tougher challenges
• Endless Replayability - Branching quest lines, augments, crafting, and loot rewards will test the resolve of even the most hardened players in dynamically generated dungeons and areas. Playthroughs will feel challenging, varied, and rewarding as players succeed against unrelenting odds. Various stories are woven throughout the different worlds, encouraging exploration and multiple revisits
• New Archetypical Progression - Expanded Archetype system provides players with unique passive bonuses and stunning powers. Multiple Archetypes can be unlocked during play, leveled up, and equipped together for a variety of play styles

$24.00

Buy on Amazon

Before choosing Outriders, verify four items on an official page for your platform: whether the edition currently sold includes the content your group expects, how many players can join a session, whether matchmaking or cross-play is available, and whether the game still receives the support or updates that matter to you. Those checks prevent a common mistake: selecting a title because an older “games like Borderlands” list liked it, then discovering that its present availability or co-op rules do not fit your group.

The Division 2: the shared-world direction

The Division 2 is also named in the GamesRadar roundup, and it is the shortlist’s clearest lead for readers who want a more persistent shared-world structure. That description should guide your investigation, not substitute for current product information. The cited material does not establish the current edition, platforms, group size, cross-play, subscription needs, or live-service schedule.

Consider it when your friends want an activity loop that continues after a story campaign and when maintaining characters over repeated sessions is more important than reproducing Borderlands’ exact tone. Before purchase, confirm the official listing’s current edition and multiplayer rules. Pay particular attention to whether all members of your group are on supported platforms and whether any required online service applies to the console version you use.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands: the closest stylistic lead, with details to verify

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands appears in the same GamesRadar list and is the most obvious name to investigate if your priority is staying near the Borderlands style. The available evidence does not, however, establish its current co-op limits, platform availability, edition contents, or support status. Those details must come from a current official product page.

Use it as a style-first candidate: start by checking whether its present version is available on every platform in your group, then confirm the number of players, cross-play policy, and whether the edition you are considering includes the features your party expects. Do not infer any of those answers from a general recommendation article.

Compare the five choices by the decision that matters

If you want a three-person campaign group

Remnant II is the only option in this shortlist for which the cited official source explicitly confirms solo play or co-op with two other friends. That makes it the safest starting point for a trio that wants a defined party size and independent archetype progression.

If you want third-person online boss co-op

The First Descendant is the only game here whose cited listing explicitly combines a third-person camera, online co-op looter-shooter format, and multiplayer boss encounters. Verify regional platform eligibility, especially the documented end of PS4 support on June 19, 2025.

If you want the closest Borderlands-adjacent tone

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is the lead to investigate because GamesRadar includes it among Borderlands alternatives. Treat “closest” as a stylistic hypothesis, not a verified specification: check its official page for current co-op and platform details before deciding.

If you want an ongoing shared-world routine

The Division 2 is the shortlist’s shared-world lead in the editorial guidance. Confirm the live-service and group details officially, and make sure your friends want a continuing online structure rather than a campaign that can be completed and set aside.

If you want another campaign-focused option

Outriders is included by GamesRadar as a Borderlands alternative for readers seeking a more campaign-focused experience. Because the cited source does not provide current technical details, verify the edition, platform, and co-op rules before treating it as a practical recommendation.

Rank #3

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A buying and setup checklist for any of these games

1. Write down your non-negotiable. Decide whether it is first-person shooting, a humorous campaign, randomized loot, build crafting, a three-person party, or an ongoing shared world. One sentence is enough: “We need a campaign for three friends,” or “We want repeatable online boss activities.”
2. Check every player’s platform. Do this before comparing editions. For The First Descendant, the cited PlayStation notice specifically removes PS4 support from the current assumption after June 19, 2025. For the other games, the material here does not establish a current platform list.
3. Confirm party size and matchmaking. Do not infer a player limit from a store category or an old roundup. Remnant II’s official page confirms a three-player maximum in the form of one player plus two friends; the other entries require current official verification.
4. Check cross-play and online-service requirements. The cited sources do not confirm cross-play or subscription requirements for this shortlist. Look at the current store page and the publisher’s support documentation for your exact platform.
5. Choose the progression style. An archetype-based structure such as the one described for Remnant II is different from a character-and-weapon customization loop such as the one highlighted for The First Descendant. Decide whether your group wants a defined build identity, equipment experimentation, or a persistent character investment.
6. Check the current edition. For Outriders, The Division 2, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, the evidence used here comes from a GamesRadar roundup rather than current official product pages. Confirm what the edition includes and whether it is still supported before paying.
7. Plan the first session around the game’s structure. A contained campaign works best when everyone starts together. A shared-world title needs agreement about recurring sessions and how players will handle different progress levels. Boss-focused online games benefit from deciding in advance who can attend and what roles the group wants to test.

Common mistakes when replacing Borderlands

Assuming “looter shooter” means the same loop

The label covers games with very different relationships between missions, equipment, builds, and endgame activities. Remnant II’s cited description emphasizes archetype progression and a small co-op party. The First Descendant’s listing emphasizes online co-op, character and weapon customization, and multiplayer bosses. Those are meaningful differences even before you compare tone or camera perspective.

Using an old platform assumption

The First Descendant’s PS4 support notice is a concrete example of why old compatibility lists are risky. A game can remain widely discussed after a platform version ends. Check the store page for the region and hardware each friend actually uses.

Buying for the group before checking the group

One friend’s preferred game can be another friend’s mismatch if the party size, camera, or activity cadence differs. Agree on the decision criteria first, then verify the technical details for the final two candidates. This is especially important for the three games represented only by a roundup in the available evidence.

Treating an editorial list as a specification sheet

GamesRadar’s list is useful for discovering candidates, including Outriders, The Division 2, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. It does not, by itself, establish current prices, editions, platforms, co-op limits, cross-play, or player populations. Use it to generate names, then use official product and support pages to make the purchase decision.

Recommendation by player profile

“We are three friends and want a focused co-op run.”

Start with Remnant II. Its official description directly confirms the party structure and independent archetype progression that this group needs. Verify platform and service requirements separately because they are not stated in the cited page.

“We want third-person online play and bosses.”

Start with The First Descendant. Its PlayStation Store description directly supports that format. Confirm regional availability and hardware first; PS4 support ended June 19, 2025 according to the store notice.

“We mainly want Borderlands’ recognizable style.”

Investigate Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands first, then verify its current official co-op and platform information. The recommendation is based on its inclusion in GamesRadar’s Borderlands-alternatives roundup, not on a fully verified technical comparison.

“We want a world we can keep returning to.”

Investigate The Division 2, while confirming its current shared-world and multiplayer details from an official source. It is the shortlist’s persistent-activity lead, not a guaranteed one-to-one Borderlands replacement.

“We want another campaign-oriented co-op shooter.”

Investigate Outriders and verify its current official details before purchase. Its place on the GamesRadar list makes it a reasonable candidate, but the cited evidence does not support more specific claims.

What is not established by the available sources

Do not rely on this comparison for exact prices, current player populations, platform charts, cross-play guarantees, subscription requirements, or edition-by-edition contents. Those facts are volatile and were not established for the shortlist in the cited material. Check the official store or publisher page immediately before buying, and use the regional listing when availability can differ by country.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Remnant 2 - PlayStation 5

$30.99

SaleBestseller No. 2

Remnant II

$24.00

Bestseller No. 3

ASRVA Wireless Controller for PS5/PS5 Pro/PC, Hall Effect Joysticks & Triggers (No Drift), 2 Back Buttons, RGB, Translucent Design, Dual-Mode, Compatible with iOS/Android

$52.99

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Borderlands alternativesco-op gameslooter shootersOutridersRemnant IIThe Division 2The First DescendantTiny Tina’s Wonderlands