I’ve come to sympathize with the anti’s notion that they’re too similar, although I’m definitely still pro High Elf in that I’d totally race change all of my characters into them if they became playable
My issue is the lack of intellectual honesty when trying to dismiss High Elves, because as I said, almost every argument against them can be applied to Void Elves. The proper anti argument at this point is that we already got High Elves, except they’re called Void Elves now. We on the pro side constantly argued for ways in which High Elves could be physically different, Void Elves arguably achieve just that
Yes and no. They’re on offshoot of Blood Elves, but not in the same way that Dark Iron’s are an offshoot of Bronzebeard dwarves. In that case they’re at least a different tribe. The problem with High Elves is that they’re literally Blood Elves, the same people from the same kingdom that speak the same language and share the exact same culture
…Thing is, so are Void Elves. Blood Elf culture is Void Elf culture. Void Elves are also a simple retelling of the original TBC Blood Elf story line, subverting powerful magic through questionable methods in order to protect their kingdom and people, only it’s void this time instead of holy light. The same fantasy was already available on the Horde, just play a Blood Elf shadow priest
I have to guess that the craptastic addition that is Void Elves came about due to a rushed development cycle and lack of careful thinking and planning. If they’re meant to be the High Elf compromise, it was done in perhaps the worst and laziest way possible