Just an idea; new "Clans" for each existing race

[ty_taurus]

Anything that involves new character models, like a "highlander" version of other races is very likely never going to happen again. It's been said before that adding races is an exponential challenge because that exacerbates the amount of animation work needed for nearly everything in the game, and animation is the most expensive and time-consuming aspect of video game design. It's not impossible that they can change their mind later down the line, but I would not place any bets on getting anything else in that regard.

That said, having alternative clans that do not change animations or have an effect on clothing are certainly more plausible, like half-Elezen Hyurs like Hilda, and I think having more mixed race options like that in which the base model does not change could be a cool thing to see, though there are still some limits as to what races you could have mixed characters from that wouldn't involve changing the base character model. I wouldn't hold my breath on anything like half-Lalafell, half-Hrothgar, half-Roe, or probably half-Viera. Miqo'te, you might be able to get away with something like Hyurs with Miqo'te facial markings or noses, but the tails and ears are probably a no-go.

[rainichan]

Anything that involves new character models, like a "highlander" version of other races is very likely never going to happen again. It's been said before that adding races is an exponential challenge because that exacerbates the amount of animation work needed for nearly everything in the game, and animation is the most expensive and time-consuming aspect of video game design. It's not impossible that they can change their mind later down the line, but I would not place any bets on getting anything else in that regard.

That said, having alternative clans that do not change animations or have an effect on clothing are certainly more plausible, like half-Elezen Hyurs like Hilda, and I think having more mixed race options like that in which the base model does not change could be a cool thing to see, though there are still some limits as to what races you could have mixed characters from that wouldn't involve changing the base character model. I wouldn't hold my breath on anything like half-Lalafell, half-Hrothgar, half-Roe, or probably half-Viera. Miqo'te, you might be able to get away with something like Hyurs with Miqo'te facial markings or noses, but the tails and ears are probably a no-go.

Clans wouldn't be changing anything. The only differences are entirely cosmetic: look at Raen and Xaela auri: the only difference is the scale colour and what skintones are available. There are very little differences in some other aspects of character creation, like the ear clasps on elezens, but most of those changes are entirely cosmetic and wouldn't require new skeletons. The most the devs may need to do for, say, Garlean hyurs, would be to port human ears on to elezen bones, which they've already done. It's not a huge undertaking for them to do that compared to an entirely new race with gear that needs to fit correctly - all of that has already been done. As it stands EW gave regular, non-tall Garleans as well, they're just midlander hyur that have the third eye. Add in some minor customization for a third eye on midlanders, maybe highlanders, and bam, you have the third 'clan'. Give the option to be super tall with the elezen bodyset, and that'd be even better. Nothing would change since all of those already exist.

There's plenty they can do without needing to create new racial skeletons since all of the clans are the same base type, just different customizations. I'm hoping in the future they update some of the older animation sets since they look clunky compared to some of the newer ones, but that's a future thing, not a need now thing (for me, personally).