Every time I start a new MMO, I make a vow to myself not to pick a standard human as my racial choice. Nine times out of 10, I end up doing that anyway, mostly because all of the other options are not appealing in the slightest.
For example, the other night I signed up for Elder Scrolls Online (you may have heard of it) and was delighted to see an array of race options. But as I scrolled through them, I found myself sighing in disappointment. Human race, darker human race, taller human race, Elf, Dark Elf, Happy Elf, Cat Guy, and Lizard Dude Nobody Ever Picks Because Who Wants To Play A Reptile, Seriously Devs. The only one I was even close to considering was the Orc, and even then I was slightly repelled because of my general dislike of Orcs in games.
I guess I was hoping for something more exotic, more intriguing than the tired tropes usually on display. Do you find MMO non-human racial choices lacking? Do you often default to human because the alternatives are ugly, dull, or unrelatable?
Every morning, the Massively Overpowered writers team up with mascot Mo to ask MMORPG players pointed questions about the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre. Grab a mug of your preferred beverage and take a stab at answering the question posed in today’s Daily Grind!
