(DISCLAIMER - This is pretty much a copy/pasta from the Discord server. I felt that bringing the subject here would make it more visible and easier to reference to so the CC and Devs wouldn’t have to go through a ton of messages to get to this feedback. I have also added a few more things that have come to mind as well as some reference links.)
I tried going into this with an open mind. I was expecting disappointment from it but even with that, I am actually still angry at Blizzard. The worgen fanbase has been fighting and fighting for changes since Cataclysm alpha. There are literally thousands of posts and have been many, many threads all almost asking for the same things for years. To top things off, what content we do happen to get completely disregards the community and even adds insult to injury. It’s tiring, very tiring as I have been an advocate for this race since Vanilla. I personally have spent countless hours giving feedback, doing my own research to make sure things are correct when it comes to discussing lore points, delving into different mediums to help support the community’s general stance, and much, much more. My passion for this race and their story has always been a driving force for me to keep playing this game.
I am not saying I am angry because “I am not getting what I wanted.” (Well I kind of am, but I am legit upset here.) I am more or less trying to say that it really feels that Blizzard genuinely doesn’t care about or respect the worgen fanbase. Unlike High Elf fans, we have literally, literally been in the dark with Blizzard’s views and standpoints. Absolutely ZERO communication with us whereas High Elf threads and such get multiple responses and acknowledgement by the Developers. Even a simple “NO” would have sufficed in my very honest opinion because at least we got something. While I know people would continue fighting regardless but this would actually show that Blizzard is actually acknowledging us.
After 10.2.5, I’m done. This was one of the most highly anticipated patches to hit the game, especially from a roleplayer’s stance. We have waited for this for well over a DECADE now. Not just worgen players, but players in general. The story felt slapped together overnight, way too short, lazy writing, and had huge discrepancies that are very glaring to those who actually care about Warcraft’s story. It just doesn’t feel good. Like, have you guys completely forgotten the ties to the Night Elves, Daral’nir/Tal’doren, Belysra? Val’sharah and Felwood with the night elf worgen that are actually present on Azeroth? The significance of the destruction of the Scythe of Elune and how that would effect the worgen? Celestine is seen at Tal’doren but offers nothing. The harvest witches? The fact that Goldrinn does/says nothing special in the Emerald Dream for worgen players? Why does Lorna and Darius show up after the chain is completed? All of these are sorely missed opportunities.
Then you add the rewards in. A transmog set that looks very similar to the worgen Heritage Armor (Which is a travesty in itself).
In fact, here is a recent thread about it:
What’s so special about the Heritage armor now since everyone can wear a set that looks just like it? Never to mention the heritage armor in itself has been widely controversial due to how bad it looks and how awful the story was behind it. A heritage armor quest line is supposed to be special and show racial pride. Worgen’s quest chain: “Oh being a worgen is bad and you don’t need to be a worgen to represent Gilneas!” What a joke! I honestly feel that worgen should get a new set that is actually armor rather than:
The mount, ok, it’s cool, I like it, but it’s not really Gilnean. I know Gilneas had foxes but I think something else could have been given. Like a carriage mount that can haul multiple people like in the starting zone. On top of that, it’s just a reskin of the Suramar/vicious fox. Finally, the worgen only toy, our “bone” per say. Wow, a 30 minute hearthstone to Gilneas. No special effects. Nothing that makes it truly unique and special. Again, we waited over a DECADE for this. Slap. In. The. Face. It didn’t even become an actual hub after all this. No flight paths, portals, anything really. It’s just as empty as it was before save for a few NPCs at the hubs.
This was an absolute perfect time to really show love to the worgen playerbase and give them something for their time and patience. But no, we’re continually hated on. Some will make the argument about how we got five new fur colors recently. I will give you that much, however, the feedback we had been given for years was still ignored. Two examples come to mind. 1 being that we’ve been asking a solid black fur option (like what tauren have) and all we got was a bluish black color. This is almost like a half-butt attempt like void elves for high elf players. 2 We got a scarred skin. That’s all cool and all, but we have been asking for togglable scars where they could be applied to any fur color.
I personally have given a list of what players have generally wanted and many, many people have been asking for the same stuff. Recently, I even advocated in the CC forums about adding a customization unlock for worgen that would have been stupid perfect to introduce this patch. Though other things that are highly wanted by our fanbase includes upright option for males, more ear options, black fur, the whole scar thing, having a night elf form instead of a human form, but the biggest one of all are TAILS. There are more requests that are out there but these are the ones that I’ve personally seen most requested.
Here is a refresher:
I legit do not understand the resistance behind adding optional tails. Trolls out there will say they don’t want tails because of something furry related. TBH if they have a problem with that, that’s just it, it’s their problem. It’s not their character they are choosing for. The skeleton and animations are there for both models, all it needs is that part of a model to be made really. Tails have been one of the most requested things worgen players have wanted. This stems all the way back to Cataclysm alpha mind you. Again, another thing we’ve been fighting for for over a DECADE. The only acknowledgment we received was a mocking /silly from the Dracthyr that has really stirred the hornet’s nest. Let’s not also mention that official Blizzard concept art clearly shows female worgen having tails. I know Hearthstone is not canon but there are multiple cards that feature a worgen with a tail. Even the Darkmoon promo has a worgen with a tail running.
Official Blizzard Art:
The desire for tails is absolutely loud and clear:
I really had to get this off my chest and apologize if this seems long winded. I apologize if I come off as brash/hostile as well. I am just really upset and felt that I need to say my piece here because it appears as a worgen roleplayer and fan, we keep getting the shaft worse than night elves. The models went through development hell back in Cata alpha/beta. We had to grin and bear an unwanted model for many, many years despite the outcry for change. When the HD models were introduced, our feedback was ignored. BFA gave us a couple new faces with unique eyes (this is when eye appearances were tied to the face). When the Shadowlands customizations came out, most of our feedback was ignored. We finally got separate form customizations. Got new eye options even though the glowing eyes look unfinished, beards and ears were separated for males, and we got some new fur colors. That was it.
We actually LOST an eye glow appearance when Shadowlands hit:
Before
After
Despite my pessimism, I do remain a teeny, tiny bit hopeful. That hope is resting on the fact that Blizzard may not be done with the development of Gilneas. The reason I went off like this is because this patch was supposed to be a huge moment for us and I felt incredibly underwhelmed and disappointed. First impressions mean everything. The sad thing is, this patch launch wasn’t just a disappointment for worgen players, but most players as a whole. I am starting to struggle to find the reasoning of why I should keep giving feedback when this is how we’ve been treated for this long. /endrant
What could have been…
(Credit to the respective artist of course!)