High Elves interview

[In Ogres We Trust]

Nightborne look completely different from both high elves and night elves. Void elves are literally high elves with a void form.

Agree they should just give Alliance high elves, reason they provide is lame. Although I could see them prioritizing more attention-grabbing (and thus more marketable) races first.

I guarantee ogres will be coming some time during the next expansion. Seems odd to focus so much on that one random ogre in the cinematic. I think it's strange that they didn't add Maghar orcs yet with how easy to do they should be from AU or MU and they're literally just a skin tone, but I guess now it's also developing racial + passives + voicing + racial animations (dances, etc.) now since they want to go the whole nine yards.

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The void elves aren't blood elves, they're high elves. I don't think they're from Silvermoon. Where did I miss that fact?

Ogres deserve to be a main race; as the only RTS race that's not in the game, it would be insulting to Ogre fans if they were relegated to Allied race status.

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Enough of this. Anyone who disagrees with you, you to tell to shut up or get out of the thread.

If you can't handle the opposition to your planet sized entitlement then perhaps you are the one who needs a time out.

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You got void elves. That was a race specifically created to meet this demand. You had the game director openly snigger when asked about High Elves and he confirmed what we have been saying for a decade, High Elves are Blood Elves are therefore playable.

Your current strategy is, as several have admitted, to whine for long enough that Blizzard gives in to shut you up.

Ion is a Horde d-bag and an "Elitist Jerk." To be frank, to the community, his opinion on the subject means jack-shit.

[Andromedes]

Stonemaul ogres for the Horde. Would be a perfect time, with Kul Tiras and sea theme.

[Coffeexbean]

People complain about blood elves being "gay", yet it's the most played race in the Horde and everyone in the Alliance wants one (in the form of Highelves), the world is a funny place.

people only make a big deal about it because the horde is supposed to be a bunch of savage monsters, if blood elves were on the alliance I bet no one would ever say that about them since all of the alliance races are technically "gay"

[Mace]

This isn't really an accurate comparison:

High Elves literally are Blood elves. They are the same exact race separated by a cultural schism that happened less than 2 decades ago, a schism that no longer even seems relevant since the Sunwell is back and the Blood Elves have rejected any kind of fel influence or siphoning power from unwilling hosts.

Nightborne have been isolated for 10,000 years and developed into an entirely distinct people both culturally and physiologically.

That is so misinformed. it is the alliance night elves that diverged from the nightborne/highborne/kaldorei empire - you are literally shown this, how can you not get it?? Nightborne's 10k year isolation was shown to you that these people hadn't changed at all culturally from the night elves of the kaldorei empire in Suramar. Your quests tell you they preservered a culture pristinely for over 10k years... this is not something entirely new and different, this is the developers showing you the full extent of the night elf arcane culture. And the nightborne only look slightly different - we all know they use the night elf model rig, and the current model at Blizzcon was a night elf one.

One of the reasons I am playing nightborne is because they are the nicer and more fancy expression of the night elves. But make no mistake about it, they are night elves on the horde. It was a tit for tat exchange. Alliance get blood elves on the alliance in the form of void elves, Horde get night elves in the form of nightborne.

I mean it's so obvious, denying it is really retarded. If you play Nightborne, you're playing a certain type of Kaldorei empire night elf that is a variation of the night elves' highborne shend'ralar. The night elves can survive without the nightborne because they have highborne. The blood elves can also survive without the void/high elves, cos they're pretty much the same people anyway.

[zTrikky]

People complain about blood elves being "gay", yet it's the most played race in the Horde and everyone in the Alliance wants one (in the form of Highelves), the world is a funny place.

i mean they have the best racial out of any horde race

[Eurhetemec]

i mean they have the best racial out of any horde race

Pretty sure they'd still be the most played race in the Horde if they had "poop fairy dust" on a 10 minute cooldown and it being purely cosmetic, as their racial.

The most popular races in MMOs are, universally, Elves and Humans. It varies which is first, and which second, but if they're present, they're the most popular races. That's why they had to put the Blood Elves in on Horde in the first place (not that they'd really have fit into Alliance well) - the Horde started off near-parity with the Alliance (due to higher apparent badassitude levels and early players being more RP-ish and less "I need 2 look cool") but as time went on they'd fallen distinctly behind Alliance pops, despite arguably superior racials. Putting Blood Elves in fixed that so fast it would have made your head spin.

Re: High Elves, I'd say something like "Get over it! High Elves aren't going to happen!", but I guarantee if I do say that, Blizzard will put High Elves in within 24 months. That's just how Blizzard is.

[Osiria]

im hoping high elves fall into the "more at a later date"

I really want to make a high elf

I can't emphasize enough how dumb it is not to add High Elves. They literally ignored all the stuff High Elves have been through, all the lore, the fact they have a faction that is ALREADY part of the Alliance... but nope, they went and thought: "Let's make a group of Blood Elves who were exiled" (which is exactly what High Elves are) "and then let's make them join the Alliance with Alleria!"

I can only imagine that, if any dev there wanted to add High Elves... that person must've facepalmed so hard, he/she had to go the emergency room.

[Anoregon]

That is so misinformed. it is the alliance night elves that diverged from the nightborne/highborne/kaldorei empire - you are literally shown this, how can you not get it?? Nightborne's 10k year isolation was shown to you that these people hadn't changed at all culturally from the night elves of the kaldorei empire in Suramar. Your quests tell you they preservered a culture pristinely for over 10k years... this is not something entirely new and different, this is the developers showing you the full extent of the night elf arcane culture. And the nightborne only look slightly different - we all know they use the night elf model rig, and the current model at Blizzcon was a night elf one.

One of the reasons I am playing nightborne is because they are the nicer and more fancy expression of the night elves. But make no mistake about it, they are night elves on the horde. It was a tit for tat exchange. Alliance get blood elves on the alliance in the form of void elves, Horde get night elves in the form of nightborne.

I mean it's so obvious, denying it is really retarded. If you play Nightborne, you're playing a certain type of Kaldorei empire night elf that is a variation of the night elves' highborne shend'ralar. The night elves can survive without the nightborne because they have highborne. The blood elves can also survive without the void/high elves, cos they're pretty much the same people anyway.

You need to calm down because nothing I said is inaccurate. You are relying entirely on semantics to make a point that doesn't even matter.

Nightborne and regular night elf diverged due to being separated for 10,000 years. That's the point I was making.

[Aeula]

Meanwhile Horde gets Nightborn which is just Night Elves...

And now the Alliance has void elves.

Congratulations.

[Eurhetemec]

I can't emphasize enough how dumb it is not to add High Elves. They literally ignored all the stuff High Elves have been through, all the lore, the fact they have a faction that is ALREADY part of the Alliance... but nope, they went and thought: "Let's make a group of Blood Elves who were exiled" (which is exactly what High Elves are) "and then let's make them join the Alliance with Alleria!"

I can only imagine that, if any dev there wanted to add High Elves... that person must've facepalmed so hard, he/she had to go the emergency room.

I suspect not. The devs actually probably have had a reasoned, rational and non-hyperbolic conversation about this going for years. Even if there are people who would like the HEs in on Alliance, they can probably see that making a simple "Blue Version" (I know, I know!) of the Blood Elves would lead to a lot of "WEAK!" and "BLIZZARD IS OUT OF IDEAS" and so on.

With Void Elves being a bit more kewl/l337 and exotic, they've got a race that will satisfy the basic "I want a small pale elf" crew, but also has a bit more visual punch and won't get them accused for being lazy/cop-outs until the end of eternity.

[Avar ize]

And now the Alliance has void elves.

Congratulations.

[Osiria]

I suspect not. The devs actually probably have had a reasoned, rational and non-hyperbolic conversation about this going for years. Even if there are people who would like the HEs in on Alliance, they can probably see that making a simple "Blue Version" (I know, I know!) of the Blood Elves would lead to a lot of "WEAK!" and "BLIZZARD IS OUT OF IDEAS" and so on.

With Void Elves being a bit more kewl/l337 and exotic, they've got a race that will satisfy the basic "I want a small pale elf" crew, but also has a bit more visual punch and won't get them accused for being lazy/cop-outs until the end of eternity.

Yea, that's definitely not how people who have been asking for High Elves would feel.

Anyways, the problem isn't even that. It's the whole lore. It's like they're turning a blind eye to High Elves and pretending they don't exist, considering these Void Elves aren't even part of any Alliance expedition, Silver Covenant or something, they're actual Blood Elves kicked out of Quel'thalas.

[Eurhetemec]

Yea, that's definitely not how people who have been asking for High Elves would feel.

Well, sure, but you're like, a very very small percentage of the WoW playerbase. The % who actually give two fucks about High Elves is probably considerably less than that who really cares about say, Wildhammer Dwarves, let alone Maghar Orcs.

I mean, I kind of get why you're upset - Void Elves, whilst more viable than Blue Blood Elves (I'm sorry people would call them that), mean that High Elves are either not going to happen, or not for a very long time.

Anyways, the problem isn't even that. It's the whole lore. It's like they're turning a blind eye to High Elves and pretending they don't exist, considering these Void Elves aren't even part of any Alliance expedition, Silver Covenant or something, they're actual Blood Elves kicked out of Quel'thalas.

I will admit that I think it's a bit weird that they often have High Elves turning up to stuff, and being fairly prominent characters, and yet no-one, ever, ever talks about High Elves. That is just strange. Even if they don't ever add them as an Allied Race, they could acknowledge that they exist.

[Nurvus]

Meanwhile Horde gets Nightborn which is just Night Elves...

Nightborne actually have a unique model and animations.
Void Elves are Blood Elves with different colors and a VFX.
Horde got the better end of the deal.

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Well, sure, but you're like, a very very small percentage of the WoW playerbase. The % who actually give two fucks about High Elves is probably considerably less than that who really cares about say, Wildhammer Dwarves, let alone Maghar Orcs.

Don't mistake bias as statistics.

Brown skin color and blue tattoos matter more than a race integral to the Alliance in WC2/3 as well as present but unplayable in WoW?

[A Chozo]

Can you imagine the outcry if from half the playerbase if, instead of Void Elves, the alliance got High Elves?

"Oh good job Blizzard, we got Blood Elves with a recolored eye texture!"

Void elves apparently can float in-combat, will have different voice, weird skin/hair/eye color options (there's probably a way to make your Void Elf look mostly like a High Elf). IMO, High Elves should simply be an extra option at the barber shop for Blood Elves. Change to Blue Eyes and BOOM.

[LowestFormOfWit]

It's pretty clean when a dev is just making up a reason on the spot in the interview. Would have been nice if he just was never asked this because people are holding onto his words too much now when honestly it's likely not much of a stance one way or the other right now. It's not like most wow statements like this dont make a 180 all the time.

If Ion told you that a car speeding towards your face was going to obliterate you if you didn't move, you would be that guy that says "Nah, people are holding onto his words too much now when honest----"

And then you get obliterated, because you didn't move.

He clearly stated, and even apologized, that High Elves are not something they think makes a good fit for Allied races. It's not interesting to add High Elves. It's not different enough. There's not enough of them left. Aside from the two other Windrunner sisters (and I'm calling it here: Vareesa bites the dust in BfA), there aren't even any notable High Elf NPCs left.

Major, catastrophic events spiraled the High Elves to become Blood Elves, and join the Horde. What few here and there who didn't continue on with the Blood Elves never coalesced into any major faction or hub.

I guess people really are going to die on this hill, even after a decade.

[Austilias]

I will admit that I think it's a bit weird that they often have High Elves turning up to stuff, and being fairly prominent characters, and yet no-one, ever, ever talks about High Elves. That is just strange. Even if they don't ever add them as an Allied Race, they could acknowledge that they exist.

It's not very weird when you consider how easy it is for someone to rise to the top of a company like Blizzard yet still be ignorant of these glaring details.

[Wyrt]

Elves don't become separate races just because they change their name and eat a different kind of magic. Void elves are high elves.

[Obelisk Kai]

Yea, that's definitely not how people who have been asking for High Elves would feel.

Anyways, the problem isn't even that. It's the whole lore. It's like they're turning a blind eye to High Elves and pretending they don't exist, considering these Void Elves aren't even part of any Alliance expedition, Silver Covenant or something, they're actual Blood Elves kicked out of Quel'thalas.

Have you considered you weren't entirely the primary audience? Maybe, just maybe, satisfying High Elf fans and only them wasn't their sole motivation when they created the Void Elves?

Perhaps they took the wider considerations regarding playable High Elves into account; all the problems that people who wanted playable High Elves on the Alliance simply ignored.

Yes, the Void Elves are an asspull. You ask in exasperation why they went for that asspull rather than just giving you High Elves. You should realise that that is the wrong question.

Of course they considered High Elves as an allied race. They had to have done. They didn't start with the idea of 'let's give the Alliance a void themed race'. They started with 'lets give the Alliance a thalassian elf model to match the kaldorei model the Horde are getting with the Nightborne'.

And once they considered the High Elves, they obviously regarded the proposition as completely unfeasible and created the Void Elves instead.

So no, High Elves are not 'further down the list'.

High Elves have already been rejected and something else deliberately crafted to take their place. And because they've done that something else, the chances of them ever actually considering High Elves in the future for the Alliance has dwindled to basically nothing.

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Void elves apparently can float in-combat, will have different voice, weird skin/hair/eye color options (there's probably a way to make your Void Elf look mostly like a High Elf). IMO, High Elves should simply be an extra option at the barber shop for Blood Elves. Change to Blue Eyes and BOOM.

I suspect that when more advanced character customization options come, eye colour will be one of them and Blood Elves will have the option of blue or green eyes. Probably several shades. Maybe even yellow now that the Sunwell is all holy.

[LowestFormOfWit]

Elves don't become separate races just because they change their name and eat a different kind of magic. Void elves are high elves.

While I agree with you, that Blood=High=Void Elf, Elves in general seem to contain the most volatile genetic material in Warcraft lore.

Exposed to primarily Moonlight: Night Elves
Exposed to primarily Sunlight : High Elves
Exposed to neither and purely Arcane: Nightbourne
Nightbourne exposed to fel: Felbourne
Exposed to Fel: Blood Elves
Exposed to high amounts of Fel: Fel Elves (Sunwell)
Withdrawl from Arcane addition: Wretched or Withered elves
Exposed to volatile failed Arcan'dor: Fal'dorei Spider Elves
Cursed by Xavius or other Satyr: Satyr
Raised to undeath bt Arthas: Darkfallen Elves
Warped by N'zoth/Azshara: Naga