Highlights

  • An expansion on planet exploration in Borderlands 4 has the potential to enhance lore, fleshing out Vault Hunter backstories and adding depth.
  • While Borderlands has a strong foundation in Pandora, Borderlands 4 can shine by moving away from traditional settings and embracing new worlds.

The world of science fiction has influenced the gaming world with its tropes in almost every category over the years; from technologically advanced laser guns in first-person shooters to The Sims 4's quirky adaptation of the Star Wars franchise in its Journey to Batuu expansion pack, and in recent years, planet exploration in particular seems to be taking on an expanded role in gaming. Now, Gearbox may have been ahead of the curve by spreading its wings from Pandora in Borderlands 3. As such, the Borderlands franchise appears perfectly positioned to take advantage of the current space race-esque trend, and there's no reason for Borderlands 4 not to shoot for more moons.

Given the positive reception to this exploration gimmick, Borderlands 4 should place an even bigger priority on other worlds. Few settings in the looter shooter world are as iconic as Pandora, with the planet serving as the home of the Borderlands franchise since its debut in 2009. In the time since, Gearbox has gradually outfitted the previously one-dimensional world to give its Vault Hunters a diverse environment to thrive in. While the seven-year climate cycle meant Pandora returned to a desert in Borderlands 3, the franchise took players across the galaxy, with visits to Promethea and Athenas presenting some of BL3's most memorable moments.

Claptrap wielding a wrench with a Borderlands 4 logo
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Borderlands 4 Needs to Go Big on Planet Exploration

While exploring new biomes and planets has always been high on the list of gamers' wants in sci-fi titles, the tremendous generative demand the mechanism placed on consoles posed a barrier for developers that wasn't easy to hurdle.

Increased Focus on Planets in Borderlands 4 Would Fall Right in With the Times

The longing for space exploration has only grown as the years go by and realistic space exploration games like Starfield are leading the charge. Although Borderlands 3 isn't the first title that comes to mind in this niche, Borderlands 4 could be in prime position to outdo its predecessor if it takes things up a gear by shifting away from the traditional Pandora focus and letting players visit more home planets of their favorite Vault Hunters.

The lore-building potential through an expanded focus on exploration is exemplified by the popularity of Eden-6, the moon that the Borderlands weapons manufacturer Jakobs calls home. Eden-6's strengths lie in the appeal of its side characters like Wainwright and Clay, and it makes sense for Gearbox to continue visiting similar planets. For instance, Hermes is Sir Hammerlock's home of origin, and its teased thin atmosphere combined with its blue star boundary makes it an appealing location for Borderlands 4 to explore.

New Planets Could Flesh Out Vault Hunter Backstories

Apart from Hermes, other worlds were also mentioned in Borderlands 3, such as Dionysus and Artemis, the homes of Lilith and Mordecai. Despite their appearance in BL3 by name, visuals of these planets were markedly missing, and it's only natural that the next franchise installment visits the homes of two of its most popular Vault Hunters to flesh out their backstories. In light of these elevated stakes, a return to Pandora in Borderlands 4 might take away from the title's shine, as some fans feel the planet has run its course and the time has come to explore other gas giants in full.

Despite the numerous positives Borderlands 3's branching out from Pandora brought for the franchise, there are a number of areas Gearbox can improve on to take Borderlands 4 to new heights. Athenas was arguably the most aesthetically pleasing planet in BL3, but the small size of its zones compared to the likes of Borderlands' Eden-6 left much to be desired.

Additionally, Nekrotafeyo's side missions lacked the excitement factor that makes up the franchise, and it's imperative for Borderlands 4 to fix these BL3 issues while expanding on its offerings. Pandora may be the traditional home of the series, but it wasn't the main draw of BL3, and Gearbox can afford to go bigger once more.