Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBlizz bulks up beta build Blood Elves
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 23rd 2006 at 9:56PM
When the Blood Elves were first released, it was pretty clear that Blizzard was trying to give the Horde a "pretty" race. Not that they need it (Horde FTW), but one reason for the imbalances on some servers between Horde and Alliance populations is the lack of a race on Horde side that can not only kill stuff fast, but look good doing it. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it's true that the Blood Elves were the first Horde race to, err, look a little less than rugged. I wouldn't say this myself, but some fans even called the coming of the Blood Elves "the Flaming Crusade."
Blizzard has apparently put a stop to that. In the latest build of the beta, which WoW Guru says is Build 5866, the Blood Elves have been bulked up (males are the only shots we have, but the difference is clear). The males are no longer wiry ballet dancers-- they're not quite as bulky as, say, Orcs, but they've got a little more heft to them.
Of course, given the "beholder" thing, fans are split (aren't they always?). A large number of players aren't real thrilled with the loss of the leaner, meaner Blood Elves-- not only did the thinner frame give them more of the "evil magic" look (I'm sure the voiceovers helped with this as well), but apparently some female players think the bulky Blood Elves look less--let me make sure I get this right-- "sexy." Some ladies even say the change represents a lack of female artists in the Blizzard ranks.
Now, it is important to remember that the Burning Crusade is still changing, so this might not be the final form of the Belfs. But they sure do look... different. I'll leave it up to you: good different or bad different? Two more comparison shots, courtesy of Ephraim on the forums, after the jump.
Filed under: Virtual selves, Blizzard, News items, Expansions, Blood Elves
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
Tekwerx Oct 26th 2006 3:09PM
Does anyone notice, how if you put the BE bodies side by side with a Human's, theyre exactly the same proportions? Looks to me like alll they did was put a BE head on a Human body...
Ahms Oct 26th 2006 6:51PM
Those bottom screenshots are fake. You guys are getting *way* too angry over this. It's easy and fun to get into make believe conspiracies, isn't it? :)
Here some actual screenshots. The BE's are more inline with the actual Warcraft artstyle. Try and see if you can tell a difference
http://picasaweb.google.com/taylorbroussard/MyDocuments/photo#4989155598620360722
Cody Oct 27th 2006 8:45PM
I liked the old Belfs way more, but why dont we do this on the WoW forums? If we whine enough on there they might change it back =P
Pierre Oct 30th 2006 8:23AM
How horrible!
this sucks!
let me tell you that americans are note the only to be angry with this change,
europeans too!
Where is the beauty?
Le raffinement,cette touche féminine...
I was going to come back to this game to play them,
dude blizard,it's not going to happen if you don't give the thin blood elves back!
Murray Nov 4th 2006 5:40PM
"(I do not like the stuff about "his kid where "to play any faggot belf". ", I do really hope you americans are not all like that)"
Yeah, 300 Million of us and we're all the same...
Just like every character of each race and sex is the same in this game... no weight/height/build disparity at all. Every priest, warlock, mage and warrior all follow the same nutrition and exercise plans.
XxDeonxX Nov 15th 2006 10:51PM
For the last time they look "feminine" because of they way they stand, which isn't a prob anyway. CHANGE EM BACK BLIZZ
Manda Nov 22nd 2006 7:22PM
At first I had no idea what everyone was talking about, I saw no change in the model, and thought it looked fine as it was. As it turned out, I was getting links to pictures of the old model. I understand Blizzard's desire to change the model to be less femminine, but come on: They're Elves!
It's very evident that the majority of WoW gamers prefer the skinny Blood Elf model to the bulkier one. If we make our voices heard, Blizzard should come to their senses and change them back. If not, than we can probably expect less people to roll Blood Elf come the expansion's release.
Zithy Nov 24th 2006 9:18PM
This is not only lame, it breaks my heart! What has become of our society that the only men we want to have as avatars look like they take steroids. I haven't met a single person who likes the change. What's wrong with Blizzard anyway?
Lufxx Dec 3rd 2006 5:44AM
I 'LoL'ed when I saw the new model. Their arms look so heavy that they can't raise their hands past their head >.
Lufxx Dec 3rd 2006 5:47AM
I 'LoL'ed when I saw the new model. Their arms look so heavy that they can't raise their hands past their head.
The old model looked Emo. hehe >.>
I'd take that over a meathead anyday.
If they are going to look primitive, they should also lower their base intellect. Bleh.
Jyssa Dec 7th 2006 1:59PM
Whoa, what a shame. I so would have preferred the gaunt weedy magic-wielders look...so much more character-appropriate! Is there nothing anyone can do or say to get blizzard to put it back? its not like it would be a HUGE deal for them to do it, they (presumably) still have the old ones stored somewhere.
Kalnar Dec 7th 2006 2:16PM
why call an elf gay or feminine for being slender? as it has always been in fantasy settings elves are slender, agile, and graceful. they are pretty boys but that doesnt make them gay. all i have to say is if you think an elf looks gay because he is skinny and has long hair, then you need to quit WoW right now because it isnt the type of game for you. they looked like the old D&D elves to me, still the change isnt that bad if they look like they do in ahms link, but they look horrible with the big arms in the pics above, not so much from the front but from the side its bad. its just an insult to the elves for blizz to consider making this change for the homophobes.
LittleBigArms Dec 9th 2006 12:23AM
I know this is a fantasy game but... what about terrible body role models? I mean, the human arm model is as big as a normal size waste! How is it possible to have arms that huge? Now they have done the same thing to the blood elves. That back picture makes it look like the arms are clipping through the back. All I want is to play a character that doesn't look like some steriod induced accident. (Night Elves pretty? Sadly they are the prettiest WOW race from the orginal game but... that isn't saying much.)
Ramsey Dec 12th 2006 6:52PM
I wanted to play a mage since 2004 when I got the game, but I didn't because none of the races looked good as mages, in my opinion. I ended up with a troll shaman and a night elf druid because that was the best class/race combo for my tastes, but I always wanted to be a mage (I know trolls can be mages, and I even made one, but it didn't work for me as a mage, only as a shaman). I was so pleased that blood elves were coming to horde, and even more pleased when I saw what they looked like, then I learned about the change.
I wanted to post on the forums about it but my account is deactivated, so I sent an e-mail to Blizzard telling them they were making a huge mistake, but I only got an automated response. But after going through #41's screen shots I think I am okay with it now. Those pictures up there really do not represent the new model well. I still liked the old model better, but if they don't change it back I can deal with it.
Bev Dec 16th 2006 12:24PM
Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I actually have no complaint about the change. I liked the blood elf model before, and, well, like it even more after. So much that, I might make my belf lock a male. Especially since everytime I ask a guy why they rolled a female character their explanation more often than not is that they want some eye candy for the time it takes to level, etc. For once I might be able to do the same. The second comparison is really dramatic, but when you actually play the character, he wouldnt seem that bulky. I still see a big difference in size between them and the humans, like they crossed night elves and humans. Just my two cents to go along with everyone elses.
scalley Dec 16th 2006 10:29PM
I'm really disappointed about the change; I think that they looked a lot better before. With any luck, people will speak up and it will be changed back.
midnight malie Dec 18th 2006 1:56AM
I liked the old look better but overall I still feel they need to embrace the warcraft 3 feel that they had pure hatred for all things. I want my blood elf to look like a gothy crack head with hatred in his heart (FTW) I still don't understand why they had to give horde pallys and ally shamans i think that wa shorrible two new classes would of suited the game more so i think they said they would make it hard to balance out (like there is balance to the game now? hello!? pally bubble shaman totems right?) well you know blizzard thats why you make what 4oomillion a year (i know its more like 350million or somewhere in that ballpark but im just saying that money should be put to good use and the customer service is horrible. I love wow I have 2 60s and soon to be a 3 bloodelf and probably a dranei after that lol...however i wish they would make you feel like you matter to them because time and time again i feel like just another numbe ron their charts somewhere. i dunno anyone agree with me? or is everything below this caling me a noob or saying lrn2play?
Oo Jan 2nd 2007 1:15AM
Yeah I'm really not liking the change all that much either, however the images that are supplied are horribly quality and the cropping isnt the best either, so it could end up being a bit more appealing in game. However, I did really like the old model becuase theyre elves...they arent supposed to be buff and macho, now they look like humans who dont know how to benchpress properly, I mean look at their chest, its huge.
Keerott Jan 11th 2007 1:43PM
Man im getting tired of the stuff that is popping up here
the blood elves are now bigger because they fuffiled there magical addiction so they are not craving for it anymore and the absorbing magic from beasts caused them to look a bit ruddier then high elves and there was apparently some skeletal tearing going on because of how small the model was, so stop blaming it on the little fat
homophobic kid and try and find out some lore plus. there still only a bit bigger than undead.
Mole Jan 13th 2007 4:56PM
If you guys think the blood elves looked better before your seriously gay. They didnt even change that much with the new buff look. They are still basically the same but for once look like males. Sorry for all you gays that want a male to look like a female so you can get that late night wack to a WoW character. Not going to happen :D