Does FFXIV *Really* Want A New Non-Viera Race?

I often see many threads about Viera. So many that it can be annoying sometimes.. They always get shot down in the end or a debate forms that holds the thread for 20+ pages. So it's a sensitive topic..

The ones who disagree always say things along the lines of: "We don't need another Hyur with animal parts", " We don't need another cute race", "(something that involves weebs and/or furries)".

Suggestions end up as: "I want a full body bestial race.", "Bangaa"(what are Bangaa btw? xD), "A dwarf race", "A serious, rough looking race" "Something that looks deadly"


Now let's think about this.. And why all of those choices all probably bad and why Yoshida probably won't do it.


We have our rough races in this game.. the non-cute ones. Roegadyn, Highlander, and maybe even Elezen. And they are also the least played races in the entire game(except male Highlanders. They seem to be frequent). Those are the races that aren't played because they are "ugly" or "too rough".

Miqo'te, Midlander, and Au Ra are so successful as races simply BECAUSE they are cute. Which is obviously what people love. Make a "Favorite Race" poll and I'll bet... a trillion dollars Miqo'te will win! Why? Cute = Best. And don't come in here with "Guys dressing up catgirls" because it's just false stuff. Keep it out please. Women like cute too. And I happen to play Miqo'te.


Anyway, you have all the polls asking "What should the next race be!?". If Viera is on it, it wins. Every time. It just does.

Now think of it from a Yoshi point of view..

Member: Hey boss what should we make as a race?

Yoshi: Okay let's see here.. I *could* make a bestial-type race.. One that isn't cute.. But we have Roegadyn which did terrible as a race while Miqo'te and Au Ra are thriving! It was a very good decision to make them cute! They are very successful as a race because of it. Statistics show.

Member: There's a poll of what people want as a race. Viera is winning by 40% but the thread is filled with people saying don't bring it O.o

Yoshi: Ignore them. They are the minority. Look at the numbers, it's obvious what FFXIV as a whole, wants. We need to appeal to the majority for maximum profit instead of catering to the minority on the forums..


I think it's seen that way and in a way it does make sense though. Why make an "ugly" race when the predecessors did so bad? From a business perspective.. A new race like that are Flavor of The Month then die. While Au Ra still thrive. You can say they are a bad/failed/lazy race but no matter what, they are a soaring success.

That said, I don't even care about Viera :p

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Originally Posted by Magic-Mal

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all of your questions have been answered several times in the larger threads.

It comes down to developers will probably not vie from the human form for resource purposes. personally I'd prefer more customization within existing races before we see new ones.

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Bangaa

This is a Bangaa. They are a race of lizard-like people who premiered alongside Viera in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and have subsequently been in every game that also have Viera.

The whole "Viangaa" thing spawned from an April Fool's joke of the devs mashing them together and making the hybrid that resulted a race for us.

They'll pick whatever sells the most fantasias.

The only good Viera would do in the game is provide some rabbit stew to chow down on while you sacrifice your lala.

But seriously.
Personally I don't need/want oversexualized bunnies. Not a furry nor do I care for the furry thing. It's kindda creepy tbh. If if you sexualize a anthropomorphic animal it falls into the realm of furrydom no matter how you wanna argue it doesn't. I also feel that way about cat ladies too tho. Gotta wonder about someone who gets randy to a kitty cat. Not all ppl who play kitties do, but you know there are ppl sitting there looking up cat skirts and do.....things.

If they wanna be cute, they can be without getting creepy sexual about it. Freya from IX comes to mind.

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Originally Posted by MicahZerrshia

Not a furry nor do I care for the furry thing. It's kindda creepy tbh.

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Viera are far from being considered as furry (Beastmen, Ronso, Bangaa, etc are pretty much that). They're 90% humanoid, 3% rabbit (ears) and 7% weird (mostly their feet) that will be replaced with human limbs in XIV should they be added.

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Originally Posted by Nestama

Viera are far from being considered as furry (Beastmen, Ronso, Bangaa, etc are pretty much that). They're 90% humanoid, 3% rabbit (ears) and 7% weird (mostly their feet) that will be replaced with human limbs in XIV should they be added.

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Like I said, same with cat ladies. But when you anthropomorphize animals and put them in tiny skirts with big boobs and tiny little mid drifts it still falls into the furry realm. it may not to some furries who like more animalistic but you still got an oversexualized animal and that's still a furry. Human body + rabbit ears + feet + tail + sexualized = furry (to those who like to stay within our own species anyway lol)

Is it so wrong to say, its ok to be cute or have human-animal hybrids, just don't make it creepily oversexualized?

I didn't like Viera in FFXII and I wouldn't like them in FFXIV either. They would end up as a huge race that looks sluggish like Elezen anyway (because that is how they are). I don't care much which race they implement but I would prefer a small race similar to the Elin in Tera. I don't like Lalas because I don't need to be a potato with legs but Elins are cute AND furry...best of both worlds.

I did come to like Au Ra though. I wouldn't switch my main's race ever but I am very happy with my Au Ra alt.

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Originally Posted by Ametrine

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Bangaa

This is a Bangaa. They are a race of lizard-like people who premiered alongside Viera in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and have subsequently been in every game that also have Viera.

The whole "Viangaa" thing spawned from an April Fool's joke of the devs mashing them together and making the hybrid that resulted a race for us.

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I see... Yep. Definitely a race no one would play :(

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Originally Posted by MicahZerrshia

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That's still not a furry, though (and anything can be sexualised in this game. Elezen, Roegadyn, Hyur). Miqo'te and Viera are pretty much 'Playboy' races, which should answer your question on how people can get 'randy' to a 'nekomimi/usagimimi.'

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Originally Posted by Jynx

personally I'd prefer more customization within existing races before we see new ones.

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Yeah, give us a butt-slider Yoshi-P!

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Originally Posted by Jynx

all of your questions have been answered several times in the larger threads.

It comes down to developers will probably not vie from the human form for resource purposes. personally I'd prefer more customization within existing races before we see new ones.

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I cannot emphasis this enough. FFXIV severely lacks in customization options-- at least when compared to other MMOs. I would much rather see them add more for existing races than make a new race altogether.

I think there's more than enough cute in this game as far as races are concerned already. Not meaning to offend and I know this is the unpopular opinion here, but bunny ears does sound quite childish to me.

More faces, facial hair, scar, body etc options for existing races would be plenty methinks.

I have no issue with them adding new races in the future. I do, however, want them to priortise expanding the customisation options for the existing playable races.

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Originally Posted by Magic-Mal

I see... Yep. Definitely a race no one would play :(

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I wouldn't say that. Consider...
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...cters-by-race/

While the "pretty" races - Elves primarily - naturally gathered the highest amount of players, the so called "ugly" races actually aren't as unpopular as one might think. In fact, the "small" races ironically are the least popular in WoW, whereas the Lalafell are miles and bounds more popular than the FFXIV "Elves" and the Roegadyn. And that's even if you ignore JP for a second because the distribution only marginally differs between the regions.

It's quite interesting actually that Elves, which are one of THE most popular fantasy races across the world ever, are one of the least popular races in this game. Honestly? I think that's execution more than fantasy at fault.

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Originally Posted by MicahZerrshia

Like I said, same with cat ladies. But when you anthropomorphize animals and put them in tiny skirts with big boobs and tiny little mid drifts it still falls into the furry realm. it may not to some furries who like more animalistic but you still got an oversexualized animal and that's still a furry. Human body + rabbit ears + feet + tail + sexualized = furry (to those who like to stay within our own species anyway lol)

Is it so wrong to say, its ok to be cute or have human-animal hybrids, just don't make it creepily oversexualized?

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Ye but sadly this game got many creepys players (i wish they just had bad tastes or higher respect for themself in their vision of genders)

If they were to introduce a new race with 4.0 don't you think they'd have started teasing it already? Starting to develop their story or anything?

Remember, Yugiri has already appeared in 2.2(?) for the first time.

The only problem I have with adding customization options (outside of hairstyles) to existing races is access to these new options for older characters would be behind the use of Fantasia.
Unless Square wants to open up customization on the Aesthetician...

I really think the old poll for the new race back from 1.0 would have gone MUCH differently if they'd used Miqote as an example for mammalian demi-human rather than viera. Stupid bunny girls >.>

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Originally Posted by Zojha

It's quite interesting actually that Elves, which are one of THE most popular fantasy races across the world ever, are one of the least popular races in this game.

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Too tall for my taste, same with few others I know.

I'm being honest when I say that I don't think I have ever had any race in the game - existing or otherwise - presented to me in such an overly sexualised manner as some comments in here are suggesting. I mean yeah, OF COURSE you'll get people who dress them in bikinis and walk around dungeons and cities like that but there is no exception to that. Someone even posts their Highlander in provocative poses somewhere on here. You just have to deal with it and move on if it bothers you that much. I don't think too much of these things in general, but suddenly everything feels extremely seedy after reading this topic ;;; I was never a fan of people who treated every map like Costa del Sol or whatever but there just feels to be a lot of details being overthought and it's that which is gross to me, not someone walking around as a Viera in a swimsuit.

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Originally Posted by Knahli

Someone even posts their Highlander in provocative poses somewhere on here.

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Lololol....I have to scroll past those pics as fast as possible xD

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Originally Posted by Zojha

It's quite interesting actually that Elves, which are one of THE most popular fantasy races across the world ever, are one of the least popular races in this game. Honestly? I think that's execution more than fantasy at fault.

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Originally Posted by Anzaman

Too tall for my taste, same with few others I know.

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I had been an elf during 1.x, but now for me it's the animations; the models that existed since 1.0 have a much duller and stiffer animation set compared to those that released since ARR. We're they to liven up their models a bit and maybe not make them appear so clunky, I'd probably return to playing one.

Idk, I find Elezen kina cute, just look at me. ;* Nothing rough as far as the eye can see, just pure beauty and elegance. ;)

The rough races are needed though despite being played by a minority. That minority really really loves playing as those races and when creating an MMO it is important to try to please as broad of a market as possible.

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Originally Posted by Pomelo

Lololol....I have to scroll past those pics as fast as possible xD

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*laughs* I have a silly mental image of you now, getting all flustered in front of your screen and just murmuring "O...O-Oh no!" while looking away and scrolling quickly down the screen.


I want Viera but I can't really say I am inclined to be greedy and fight for a "cute races or bust" cause really.... but, I just struggle to see beastly races having a place in the MSQ. Au Ra looked ridiculous enough as it was playing the WoL, at least males did, so forget some even weirder race that also cannot be seen throughout the 2.0 areas that are still weirdly treated as though there were just your typical hyur. It's not like I actively watched them on my Au Ra - let alone imagined him as some WoL alternative, but it all just felt very weird and out of place for me nonetheless and I am not crazy on sweeping elephants under rugs even if I am not exactly some mega-lore enthusiast.

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Originally Posted by CaptainLagbeard

The only problem I have with adding customization options (outside of hairstyles) to existing races is access to these new options for older characters would be behind the use of Fantasia.
Unless Square wants to open up customization on the Aesthetician...

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1 free Fantasia with the purchase of 4.0
It will be not the first time players can change their characters for free (during first login with a old 1.0 character, Veteran reward 1)

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Originally Posted by MicahZerrshia

Human body + rabbit ears + feet + tail + sexualized = furry (to those who like to stay within our own species anyway lol)

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That is not furry
The one thing, that decide if something is furry or not, is fur.
Without the fur it is a Playboy bunny. And noboy would call a Playboy bunny furry.

The answer to the title is no.

But you set up a false dichotomy. Do we want Viera or something that's not Viera? No, I want neither. More customization for current races, please!

Would FFXIV want a new Viera race? Objectively speaking, Vieras do get a lot of attention from many players, and they have humanoid bodies, which means they're easier to adapt to armours than any non humanoid race, so I believe that a Viera race certainly wouldn't hurt.

Personally, I think I'd love to play one, as I have the feeling they are beautiful. I'd also be happy if they simply added more options to existing characters instead. However, even if they just added a race I personally don't like, I'd also be fine, because I'm not the very center of the big picture, and I'd like others to realize that neither are they. That you don't like something doesn't make that thing bad.

More characters options is more important than a new race actually. More faces for each races, no tails out with some clothes like chocobo costum etc .

New races aren't something that excites me in general. I can't imagine race changing one of my existing characters or being bothered to level another.
I'd prefer that SE increased the options for existing characters as has been suggested by others in this thread.

If Viera were added to XIV I have no doubt that it would be popular and I have no ill will towards those that would enjoy it. I just don't see Viera as being particularly interesting additions to the world of XIV.

I've not seen many overtly sexualized player characters in game, either. I see it more with Highlander NPCs and their obsession with subligars and the awful hempen camise. There really aren't many gearsets that heavily slant towards that, and even when they do, men have it as bad if not worse.

I don't think you understand the problem OP. We don't want a tough human race. Roes are unpopular because they are just buff humans with weird skin colors. The problem with Viera isn't that it is a cute sex doll. The problem is that it isn't that visually different from Mi'qotes, Au Ra and everything else we have in the game.

That's why I suggested Hummingways in one of my threads. They are Lalafel sized, covered in fur, and have animal parts. They are also parts of the lore already. We can't have beast tribes for lore reasons and very inhuman looking races because of they would be hard to develop. Hummingways are probably humanoid enough to make it, but different enough to work.

Garif as new race as we go into Ala Mhigo, it would be incredibly fitting the region geography and lore, they could even be a sub-race of Ixali or be their rival in someway.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/...20131031163507

And yes, i want any race before another "human-pet" race. Miqo'tes are already plague enough to endure.

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Originally Posted by Bourne_Endeavor

I cannot emphasis this enough. FFXIV severely lacks in customization options-- at least when compared to other MMOs. I would much rather see them add more for existing races than make a new race altogether.

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I think they said this was due to PS3 limitations. PS3 has limited ram that it can only display so many different custom race options. Like how Au Ra horns are locked to face. Everyone wants more customization but it probably won't happen until PS3 is no longer supported.

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Originally Posted by Magic-Mal

Miqo'te and Au Ra are thriving! It was a very good decision to make them cute! They are very successful as a race because of it. Statistics show.

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Except that statistics don't show that that's why they're thriving. It's true that Miqo'te and Au Ra are both cute, but it's also true that they're the most bestial races in the game. Maybe they'd be even more popular if that quality were accentuated in more overtly bestial races. If Miqo'te were more like Ronso, or Au Ra resembled their original concept art, they might be even more popular.

Even those of us keen on a new race, Viera or otherwise, want to see the current races expanded.

It's a strange and uncomfortable feeling to spend hours meticulously building your character to fit everything you want, only to run into a look-alike 2 days later....

I've read over and over that the PS3's pathetic RAM is the cause of our limited choices, particularly in regards to the horns. It, didn't, however, prevent the Devs from adding Au Ra altogether, so it's reasonable to assume the checks that tell other machines the look of an avatar are less intensive if it can check off race and which of 4-5 faces and so on than race and which 6-7 faces, etc.

It's hard to explain, but I guess searching a shorter list of options spread amoung more raves is easier to load.

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Originally Posted by Zojha

It's quite interesting actually that Elves, which are one of THE most popular fantasy races across the world ever, are one of the least popular races in this game. Honestly? I think that's execution more than fantasy at fault.

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The Elves in this game are too disproportionate/clunky (shoulders too wide, heads too small), which is unappealing to most. They aren't slender, graceful, beauties.
The kind of race I'd like to see is exactly that though... a beautiful, mature race. I don't really care if it's a cat or a bunny or whathaveyou. I just don't want cute. Not sure why everyone is assuming just because Viera is a bunny race it will be cute (Miqo'te) and not mature (Elezen)...

Or screw that and give us more options for existing content ♥

Also, "lolwtf" at the comment that this game oversexualizes the races. This is the most tame MMO I've ever seen.

Yes. You don't need a copy-paste of miqo'te or au'ra to have something cute.

Bet were not even going to get a new race in 4.0. I hope we don't get one till like 6.0 tbh.

I just want Viangaas and Goblins. Anything else and I just don't care.