Borderlands 3

Seven years after Vault Hunters first began their journey across Pandora and beyond, Borderlands 3 has reached another major milestone. Gearbox Software and 2K originally launched the looter shooter worldwide on September 13, 2019, meaning the game officially turned seven years old on September 13, 2026. The anniversary arrives at an interesting time for Borderlands fans. Borderlands 3 is currently available with a massive 90% discount on Steam, reducing the standard game's US price from $59.99 to just $5.99. The promotion is scheduled to remain available until September 24. However, there is an important distinction to make. Gearbox and 2K have not currently announced this promotion as an official "Borderlands 3 7th Anniversary Sale." The discount happens to overlap with the game's seventh anniversary, while the franchise's current anniversary marketing is primarily focused on Borderlands 4 and its first year. Still, for players who have never explored Borderlands 3, or veterans thinking about returning to Pandora, September 2026 provides a particularly inexpensive opportunity to jump back into the game, whether starting fresh or choosing to Buy Borderlands 3 Account to explore different characters and progression options.

Borderlands 3 Seventh Anniversary and Steam Sale Overview

The original release date is particularly important because the Steam version did not launch at the same time as the original PC release. Borderlands 3 first arrived worldwide on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC via the Epic Games Store on September 13, 2019. The Steam version followed on March 13, 2020. Therefore, September 13, 2026 represents the seventh anniversary of the game itself, rather than the seventh anniversary of its Steam release.

Borderlands 3 Is Only $5.99 on Steam

The biggest reason for players to look at Borderlands 3 again this September is its current Steam price.According to the official Steam store page, the standard edition has received a 90% discount, dropping its price from $59.99 to $5.99 in the United States. Steam lists September 24 as the end date for the promotion. That gives interested players several days after the seventh anniversary to take advantage of the offer.

At $5.99, players get access to the complete Borderlands 3 base-game campaign and its four playable Vault Hunters:

• Amara, the powerful Siren specializing in supernatural abilities and close-range combat. 

• FL4K, a wandering Beastmaster who fights alongside animal companions. 

• Moze, a former Vladof soldier who can summon her heavily armed Iron Bear mech. 

• Zane, an experienced operative with gadgets and multiple versatile combat options. 

The campaign takes players beyond Pandora to multiple planets and environments while retaining the combination of first-person shooting, character builds and randomized loot that defines the Borderlands formula.The discount is substantial, but it should not be described as the lowest Steam price in the game's history. SteamDB records a previous low of $2.99, or 95% off, in June 2025. The current $5.99 price is therefore a major discount rather than a new historical low. 

Seven Years Since a Record-Breaking Launch

Borderlands 3's seventh anniversary is also an opportunity to look back at just how important the game was for both Borderlands and 2K.Shortly after the original September 2019 release, 2K announced that Borderlands 3 had sold-in more than five million units during its first five days. According to the publisher, that made it the fastest-selling title in 2K's history at the time. 2K also reported that 50% more consumers purchased Borderlands 3 during its first five days than Borderlands 2 during the comparable launch period.The launch helped push the entire Borderlands franchise past $1 billion in Net Bookings, making Borderlands only the second franchise in 2K history at the time to reach that milestone. Those figures help explain why Borderlands 3 remains an important part of the franchise even seven years later.

What Content Is Available for Returning Players?

Borderlands 3 grew considerably after its original launch. Players who only experienced the 2019 version may therefore find significantly more content if they return in 2026.

The game's major post-launch expansions include:

• Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot 

• Guns, Love, and Tentacles 

• Bounty of Blood 

• Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck 

• Designer's Cut 

• Director's Cut 

The Ultimate Edition combines the base game with Season Pass and Season Pass 2 content alongside a large collection of cosmetic packs. Steam currently lists 25 items as part of the Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition bundle. That means players interested in more than the main campaign should check exactly which edition or DLC package they are purchasing instead of assuming the $5.99 standard edition includes every expansion.

Official Borderlands 3 SHiFT Codes Are Still Available

One of the more interesting signs that Borderlands 3 remains accessible to players in 2026 is the continued availability of official SHiFT resources.The official Borderlands website currently maintains a dedicated Borderlands 3 SHiFT Codes page covering Golden Keys, Diamond Keys and character skins. Golden Keys can be particularly useful for players starting a fresh character or returning after a long break, while Diamond Keys provide access to the Diamond Armory aboard Sanctuary III.

The official page currently lists multiple codes for PC and consoles, including codes for:

• Golden Keys 

• Diamond Keys 

• Character skins 

Players should use the official SHiFT page when checking codes because community lists can contain expired or outdated entries.Gearbox's official Borderlands website also continues to provide resources for players looking to improve their characters. Its Borderlands 3 section currently includes builds designed around Level 72 and Mayhem 11, alongside guides covering XP, loot and money farming. 

Is There a New Borderlands 3 Seventh Anniversary Event?

This is where players should be careful with information appearing in search results.As of September 17, there is no confirmed new Borderlands 3 in-game event specifically announced for the seventh anniversary through the official sources checked for this article.That matters because Borderlands 3 has held dedicated anniversary celebrations in previous years. Older events included activities such as Loot the Universe, Mayhem Made Mild and Show Me the Eridium.

Those older event pages can still appear in Google and Steam searches, but they should not be mistaken for new September 2026 activities.Likewise, the current 90% Steam discount should not automatically be called an official Borderlands 3 seventh-anniversary promotion. The sale overlaps with the anniversary, but Gearbox and 2K have not explicitly connected the two in the available official announcements.Instead, the franchise's current promotional push includes Borderlands 4's first-anniversary celebration, including its own sales and a Free Play Weekend that ran from September 10 through September 14. Steam offers associated with that promotion continue until September 24 at 10:00 AM PT. 

Borderlands Is Also Revisiting Familiar BL3 Locations

There is another small but interesting development for long-time Borderlands 3 fans.On September 14, just one day after Borderlands 3 turned seven, Borderlands: Dead ECHOs Episode 9 was released.Dead ECHOs is Gearbox's first scripted narrative podcast set in the Borderlands universe. Episode 9 takes its characters to Eden-6 and the Jakobs Estate, locations that Borderlands 3 players will immediately recognize. This should not be interpreted as an official Borderlands 3 anniversary episode because Gearbox has not described it that way. Nevertheless, its arrival immediately after the game's anniversary gives BL3 fans another piece of current Borderlands content connected to familiar territory.

Why September 2026 Is a Good Time to Revisit Borderlands 3?

There may not be a major seventh-anniversary update or new Borderlands 3 expansion, but several factors have aligned around the game's birthday.

Players currently have:

• A 90% Steam discount, bringing the US standard-edition price down to $5.99. 

• Access to years of DLC and post-launch content for those purchasing additional expansions or larger editions. 

• Official Golden Key and Diamond Key SHiFT codes. 

• Character build resources covering Level 72 and Mayhem 11. 

• A newly released Dead ECHOs episode revisiting Eden-6 and Jakobs Estate. 

• A much larger Borderlands universe to explore now that the franchise has continued beyond Borderlands 3. 

For newcomers, the $5.99 Steam price lowers the cost of discovering one of the franchise's biggest entries. For returning Vault Hunters, the seventh anniversary provides a natural reason to revisit old characters, experiment with different builds or finally explore DLC content they previously missed.

Borderlands 3 at Seven: Plenty of Mayhem Left

Borderlands 3 officially reached its seventh anniversary on September 13, 2026, and while Gearbox has not announced a dedicated seventh-anniversary in-game celebration, the timing of the current Steam promotion makes the milestone particularly noticeable.The 90% discount brings Borderlands 3 down from $59.99 to $5.99 on Steam through September 24, giving new and returning players a low-cost route back to Pandora and the game's wider collection of planets, Vault Hunters, weapons and endgame activities. Seven years after a launch that moved more than five million units in five days, Borderlands 3 remains supported by official guides and SHiFT resources while its characters, locations and ideas continue to connect with the wider Borderlands universe. For players considering another trip to Pandora, September 2026 offers plenty of reasons to dust off the old ECHO device, explore Cheap Borderlands 3 Items for their returning Vault Hunters, and start hunting for loot again.