Although many questions surrounding Alice in Borderland's central setting remain unanswered, the developments in the show's season 2 have hinted at its purpose. Alice in Borderland is often compared with Squid Game because of its similar "survival game of the episode" format. However, beyond having a few similar themes and featuring survival games, Alice in Borderland is nothing like the hit Netflix Korean drama. Unlike Squid Game, Alice in Borderland maintains an air of ambiguity surrounding its setting and the purpose of its creation.

The show also involves supernatural undertones, where its primary setting not only unfolds in an alternate version of the real world but also has a relatively different passage of time. Owing to this, one of the primary conflicts in the Japanese drama's seasons 1 and 2 revolves around the characters' quest to find out where they are and what they must do to return to the real world. Even after Alice in Borderland season 2's ending, many questions about the main setting remain unanswered. However, the show has dropped enough clues and story details to leave room for speculation.