Quote Originally Posted by JunseiKei View Post
Concept art is never an indication of something will be implemented. Concept art is literally drawing up plans and taking what you want, dismissing what you don't want and maybe fusing ideas you do like into something new. Tons of concepts don't make it into a game and some aren't ever even shown to the public. We were also shown demon concept art. Does that mean Square Enix is promising demons as a play-able race? No. Are they actively saying that demons won't be a race? No, there's no need. That's the whole basis behind concept.

They also can't backtrack their lore. Let me explain - Viera are not a single gender consisting of only females. They are not like Hyrule's Gerudo (1 male every 100 years versus 1 or 2 males per every 10?) . Viera have males - they live annexed from the more "social-able" female Viera and are basically exiled from contact from everything to guard their homes.
Except I never mentioned the concept art and don't even know how you came to the conclusion I was? Because shockingly enough I actually agree it's not a good basis for expectation? There is a reason I don't even touch on it and instead focus on how they handled the reveal at fanfest where they could have very easily clarified the issue, and the lore in game. The latter of which frankly was very much a backtrackable moment as that was the first and /only/ instance we have heard of the males in FF14. This isn't FF12 or any other universe where they existed in the past. They could have very easily changed the lore and it wouldn't have hurt a single thing. Likewise they didn't even /need/ to backtrack it. Just save the blurb about the males for when we get to the Greatwood. "Where are all the guys?" -> "Oh -insert lore explanation here-." Would have worked just as well, if not better given the circumstances.