Borderlands 4 Sparks a New Debate, and It's Not About Endgame

Borderlands 4 players are debating the importance of its settings, namely whether the franchise was right to ever leave Pandora. Borderlands 4 brings players to the new planet of Kairos, and while it remains to be seen, it does seem like the Borderlands 4 DLC will not leave the planet. Otherwise, the first three games all feature Pandora (although Borderlands 3 includes far more planets). Both the Borderlands Legends and Tales from the Borderlands spin-offs feature Pandora, while The Pre-Sequel is set on Elpis and New Tales from the Borderlands is set on Promethea.
Three of the four mainline games feature Pandora (even if BL3 spreads across the galaxy more), Borderlands 4 is the only mainline game to not feature Pandora at all, and two of the five spin-offs focus on Pandora as well. However, the debate began when a Redditor asked if anyone else missed Pandora. Speaking of the mainline games, the last time fans visited Pandora was in Borderlands 3, but to the Redditor's point, it has been since Borderlands 2 that a mainline game focused exclusively on Pandora. And the nostalgia factor of the planet is strong. Pandora will always be a special place in a lot of Borderlands fans' hearts, and the Redditor thinks that moving away from Pandora harmed the franchise.
Broadly speaking, it seems that three main schools of thought are being expressed in this debate, which is an interesting way to see how fans view the Borderlands universe. Of course, there is the original point of missing Pandora and it being key to the franchise. Many do not feel strongly one way or the other, which is interesting, and many feel the exact opposite: that leaving Pandora was good, for a few reasons.
It's obviously not the only reason some fans believe leaving Pandora was the wrong call, but it's hard to deny the planet carries with it strong memories. Borderlands 1 and Borderlands 2, with the latter still considered as one of the best games of all time by many, were filled with fun narrative and gameplay experiences. Some consider Pandora a second home, while others would welcome a return (while thinking exploring other planets is okay). Some also prefer the general setup and maps of the planet as opposed to newer locations like Kairos, and it's very clear that Pandora has a strong hold on fans who used to dominate its lands. Others highlight how certain themes, like the zaniness, have wavered in the years since, and that could be attributed to designing new planets, trying not to replicate Pandora too much, or struggling with defining the franchise outside Pandora. Overall, though, it's very clear that lots of players love Pandora—no matter where they exactly fall in this debate.
Interestingly, it seems a lot of fans do not feel strongly one way or another about the setting of any Borderlands game. There are a few reasons, but the main one is that the setting is essentially just a backdrop to the main motivation of every Borderlands game: lootin', shootin', and huntin' vaults. That's fair enough. As long as the setting keeps with the franchise identity, instead of harming it, and gives a good backdrop to the core looter shooter gameplay, it seems some fans do not mind new planets, going back to Pandora, or somewhere in between. A lot of fans also point out that a lot of areas give a strong Pandora feel, even in Borderlands 4, with Carcadia Burns being one example. Many of these fans also point out that it's easy enough to return to Pandora by replaying the older Borderlands games at any point.
One of the major dividing points, it seems, is the focus on narrative versus gameplay. A lot of these fans seem to put an emphasis on the core gameplay of Borderlands, which is understandable. However, it is interesting to see that the main reason a lot of fans think it was good for Borderlands to leave Pandora is the story factor.
It's true enough that Pandora could have more stories on it, and there's no telling where Gearbox will eventually go with Borderlands 5 (which is probably too early to even think about). But many who think it was good for the franchise highlight how many games it appears in, how Pandora's Vaults have been opened, and how Pandora's story itself feels pretty wrapped up. With Borderlands 3 bringing the Destroyer's story to an end, it does seem the only options could have been to tell a new story or to leave Pandora. And the Elpis was a fun setting for The Pre-Sequel, even if its reception was generally mixed among fans, establishing that possibility for the franchise. Overall, it does seem like leaving Pandora remains a popular decision among the community, as this was the most often expressed point of view.
It's debates like these that keep the Borderlands community alive. While many fans are awaiting the first DLC and major adjustments to Borderlands 4's endgame, it's nice to know there's always something to talk about in the franchise, good or ill.