Many MMOs, online games, and MMORPGs offer you a selection of playable races. But which ones are particularly popular, and which ones are rarely well received? Participate in our survey and find out!
Races in games: In many games that allow character generation, you can choose not only hair color, skin color, and gender but also the race of your hero. Especially in the fantasy genre, a solid selection of races is almost mandatory.
But which race is particularly favored? In the following paragraphs, we will introduce you to a few playable, non-human races that appear in one form or another in many games.
Bold and Agile – The Elves
Pretty much every fantasy game offers elves as a playable race. These are almost exclusively graceful beings with pointed ears. Elves are often particularly well suited for classes that use magic or aim for a swift fighting style.
The selection of elven races is, as mentioned, vast. Here are a few prominent examples:
- The Elder Scrolls Online features three completely different elven races: the arrogant High Elves, the cynical Dark Elves, and the cannibalistic Wood Elves.
- In World of Warcraft, you can choose between the nature-loving Night Elves and the power-hungry Blood Elves. Additionally, with the new expansion Battle for Azeroth, other variations like the Void Elves are added.
- In the action MMORPG TERA, graceful elves can also be found.
- The D&D MMORPG Neverwinter also offers elves.
- The MMORPG Guild Wars 2 does not offer classic elves, but the plant-like Sylvari come close.
The Walking Cliché – The Dwarves
Almost as popular as elves are dwarves. Dwarves are also one of the most clichéd races in fantasy.
Where you have at least the variations “arrogant and power-hungry” and “harmonious tree-huggers” with elves, dwarves are almost always short, bearded fellows who drink beer, are perpetually grumpy, speak with a Scottish accent, and deal and take a lot of hits.
Prominent examples of dwarves can be found in the following games:
- In WoW, there are classic dwarves who enjoy wielding firearms.
- In Neverwinter, the dwarves are exactly what you expect from them.
- In The Lord of the Rings Online, you will also find the classic dwarf.
Large, Strong, and Wild – The Orcs
Orcs are rather rare to find. The classic orc is almost always a large, massive monstrosity characterized by wildness and sheer strength.
You can find orcs in the following games, among others:
- The most prominent orcs (called orcs here) are in World of Warcraft. There they are a wild but honorable warrior race.
- Neverwinter does not allow you to play real orcs, but it does feature half-orcs. They are also large and strong.
- The orcs in The Elder Scrolls Online are a stubborn warrior race with rough customs and a passion for forging.
- In the mobile game Lineage 2 Revolution, there is also a wild orc barbarian as a playable race.
Fluffy or Scaly? – The Beasts
Surprisingly often, curious beast races appear in the race selection of games. There are three main groups:
- Cat-like beings
- Wolf-like creatures
- Lizard-like beings
Beast races are especially prominently represented in the following games:
- The Elder Scrolls Online has lizard-like Argonians and cat-like Khajiit. Both races are integrated into the game with extensive lore and background.
- WoW also has a large amount of beast races. Among them are the humanoid cattle of the Tauren race, the Worgen werewolves, and the Pandaren as the panda race. Additionally, there are other beast races that cannot (yet) be played, such as the fox-like Vulpera or the snake-like Sethrak.
- Bless Online offers wolf and cat beings.
- The dragonborn in Neverwinter count as lizard people.
- Particularly original beast races are found in Guild Wars 2. There, the Charr are a race of gigantic, horned big cats.
- Particularly cute beast characters are the Miqo’te from Final Fantasy 14.
Small and Cute – The “Cute Races”
Under this umbrella term, we have summarized the multitude of races that are small and cute. These races are usually known as Halflings or Gnomes, but there are also more exotic versions.
Here you will find a selection of games in which such “gnome races” appear:
- World of Warcraft features the classic gnomes, a small race of cute tinkerers.
- Halflings, also known as Hobbits, can be found in The Lord of the Rings Online.
- Halflings are also present in the D&D MMO Neverwinter.
- Blade & Soul offers the small Lynn race, beings with animal tails and ears.
- In Bless, you can also play small fur-covered beings.
- In TERA, the Elin are a tiny race of small gnome girls.
- The Asura in Guild Wars 2 may be somewhat creepy at times but are usually cute.
- Legendary cute are the adorable Lalafells from Final Fantasy 14.
Horns and Dark Appearance – The “Demonic” Races
This category is generally hard to describe. By “demonic” races, we mean all beings that somehow look demonic. These races often have horns. Sometimes horse hooves, tails, and bat wings are also involved.
Examples of such races include:
- The Castanic from TERA have large horns and also originate from demonic beings.
- In Neverwinter, the horned Tieflings are also descendants of devilish powers as a playable race.
- Far from being demonic are the Draenei from World of Warcraft. However, they meet almost all visual criteria of a demon creature with their horns, horse hooves, and tails, but worship the Light.
- The gloomy Asmodians from Aion look like dark, fallen angels with their red eyes and dark wings.
Survey – Which Fantasy Race is the Most Popular?
Now that it’s clear what is meant by each term, we want to know which races you like to play in MMOs. Just participate in the survey embedded below.
But beware: You only have one vote, so choose wisely.
Depending on how the survey turns out, we will also provide another article listing games where your favorite race shines.
