For context, note that in the interview Ion says he 'accepts all the hate mail coming his way' as a result of his comments, the recent GM/CM response and the Afrasiabi's comments on the Void Elf angle which all prove one thing.
They know this is a request with a 'dedicated' fanbase.
Now, with that context established let me say I am not certain if English is your first language, but if not I would like to point there is a certain nuance to the use of the word 'basically' in certain circumstances. That nuance is when you are stating the obvious with the invitation to your questioner to reconsider their position because holding onto that position is self-evidently foolish. It is the rhetorical equivalent of pulling your punches, a softening of the blow.
So the wording is indeed important. But so is the context of the answer. And the context of the answer if you recall was his message that Alliance High Elves aren't being added because High Elves are playable as Blood Elves. From that context you would have us believe that the opening part of his statement still differentiated Blood Elves from Alliance High Elves rather than the reverse, that Blood Elves really are High Elves.
What, did he change his mind five seconds into the answer?
Judged entirely by a biased fan with an agenda. Hardly a disinterested party capable of making a rationale and fair judgement. Your rationale behind why the claim is false is, itself, deeply flawed.
Hypothetically, had Blood Elves not changed their name from High Elves and were on the Horde side of the character creator as High Elves, how could you argue that High Elves were not playable? You could not. That you are attempting to do so now rests on pretending an adjective has a lot more meaning than ever intended.
It also rests on ignoring developer commentary, particularly from Chris Metzen and Ion Hazzikostas.
Finally, by basing your argument on the fact the High Elf isn't present on the Alliance side of the character creation screen, you again retreat to the one difference between the two groups that nobody can question. Which of course, has been defined as not enough.
Zandalari Trolls are regarded as the 'Elves' of the Trolls, as noted by Vol'Jin in the eponymous novel. Specifically, they are notable for being physically larger and stronger than ordinary Trolls. Lore wise they have been regarded as a type of Troll apart from the others, with a civilization that has outlasted all other Troll Empires.
The Highmountain Tauren carry within them the blessing of Cenarius which has produced the physical differentiation of antlers instead of horns. They have also dwelt apart from the Mulgore Tauren for over ten thousand years.
By your failure to present any true differences between Blood Elves and Alliance High Elves, by your retreat to emphasising their political difference and by your insistence political difference is enough, it is patently obvious you can't justify anything else beyond some of them favouring the Alliance.
We have you stating that it is enough and we have a developer statement that it is not enough. I don't know how else to put to you that if you say one thing and the developers say another that the developers win. They win every single time.
Stating something is my opinion alone is an old pro High Elfer trick. Every fact is turned into an opinion and then dismissed because it is easier to dismiss opinions than it is facts. Regardless, that is not the case. Grimtotem are not allied race material, there is nothing differentiating them from other Tauren. Defias are not Allied race material, there is nothing differentiating them from other Humans.
Politics is not enough. Even if the proposed allied race is within the same faction as it's parent, politics is not enough. It is never enough. There has to be more for the simple reason that if you want people to shell money out for a race change there has to be something meaningful to entice them to spend.
And there are no physical differences between Blood Elves and Alliance High Elves. That is debunked head canon.
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Fair enough. The rest of the answer is as follows.
My main is a Blood Elf Frost Mage whom I created on the first day of the Burning Crusade and have played consistently ever since. On my Mage I was the server first to get Dragonwrath back in Cataclysm which is still a personal highlight of the game for me.
My favourite alt is my Orc Death Knight, whom I use to tank mythic plus dungeons.
I have a Tauren Monk at max level but as with my Draenei Shaman he doesn't get a lot of playtime as I focus on my two favorites.
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Who also happen to be on the same faction as their parents and avoid the faction differentiation argument.
Void Elves and Nightborne are as thematically and aesthetically different from their parents for a reason.
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Firstly, that video is meaningless in the context of this discussion. The flaw in Alliance High Elves is that their differentiating factor, being part of the Alliance, has no bearing on whether they are a different race to Blood Elves. They are not. Hence considering how 'Alliance High Elves' fit into the pattern of of Allied races, or lack thereof, is akin to wondering how Humans fit into the pattern of Allied races. They are already playable. Something that is already playable is not going to be added again. That is self-evident.
Obsession is also in the eye of the beholder. You would term those who argue for Alliance High Elves passionate after all, yet obsession would be a better description in some cases.
https://www.wowhead.com/search?q=Silver+Covenant#npcs Alliance Thalassian High elves. There's no need for more, really
Well you were the one who described the opposition as 'talking down, trolling and dismissing people who request for high elves.' So yes, that strikes me as clear sign of a victimisation complex.
So my charge was the pro High Elf community confuses the word with evidence with simply being pissed the developers don't agree with them and then trying to argue why the developers are either wrong or don't matter.
In response you...again try and point out why the developers are wrong or don't matter.
To explain, evidence is something you use to support an opinion. In demonstration, my argument that Blood Elves are High Elves to which I offer two Ion Hazzikostas statements, one Chris Metzen statement, the common sense that Blood Elves and High Elves are identical and the in game story as evidence. By providing this evidence, my opinion is backed up.
Opinion is not by itself evidence. It is merely opinion. And without evidence it is worse than just opinion, it is ill informed opinion.
You consistently offer ill informed opinion. You do not offer evidence. Or if you do offer actual evidence, as you attempted above, you do so wildly out of context and with little relation to the topic actually at hand.
Yes but if I stopped quoting your already debunked statements when I debunk them again it could make the structure of the response difficult to follow. That is why I suggested to you that you stop posting them altogether.