Blizzard Said Trolls Are Dumber than Night Elves
Just to be clear, Blizzard didn’t literally say “Trolls are dumber than Night Elves.” However, they officially suggested a gap in intelligence between the two races.
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Key Takeaways
- Blizzard’s latest lore book, The Dragonflight Codex, compares Night Elves and Dark Trolls’ intelligence, causing widespread discontent among WoW fans, who view it as racist.
- In Blizzard’s Troll Compendium, Dark Trolls are depicted as less intelligent than the other trolls.
- There is a fine line between fantasy and reality in gaming. WoW’s Troll culture is inspired by real-life cultures but doesn’t represent them.
Blizzard’s latest lore book, The Dragonflight Codex, has ignited a storm of discontent among WoW enthusiasts. Anticipation ran high before its debut on December 26. After all, fans were eager to see the dragons through the wise lens of Khadgar. Yet, since its release, many readers have been expressing disbelief at the contents found within the codex.
Twitter has particularly been blown up because of the part about Trolls and Night Elves’ intellect. Some even go as far as calling the codex’s text “racist.” But what’s the deal behind this situation? What exactly is fueling the widespread discontent over the description of Night Elves as “lithe and graceful beings of superior intellect?” Let’s find out!
The Dragonflight Codex States Night Elves’ Intellect Is Superior to Trolls’
In an excerpt posted by BaalTheWarlock on Twitter, The Dragonflight Codex, expressed in the voice of Khadgar, compares the Trolls’ intellect with the Night Elves as follows:
For many, the claims about Trolls are offensive. Mostly due to perceived connections between the Troll culture in WoW and that of African, Central, and South American cultures in our real world. Based on the text, there is a belief that the content is not only casting the Trolls in a negative light but is also being viewed as racially insensitive towards the mentioned real-world cultures.
Is Blizzard’s Intellect Comparison between Night Elves and Dark Trolls Racist?
Blizzard’s comparison of the intellectual capabilities of Night Elves and Dark Trolls has sparked significant discontent among many. However, the text written in The Dragonflight Codex is not entirely baseless. These traits of the Trolls have been around for a long time. In Blizzard’s Troll Compendium, it’s stated:
“Description: According to scattered reports, dark trolls have gray to black skin and lead a mostly subterranean existence. Alleged sightings of dark trolls usually involve hulking and brutish creatures who attack with little tactical planning or coordinated effort. Thus, it has been theorized that dark trolls are much less intelligent than other trolls.”
— Wowpedia
What is the Troll Compendium?
The Troll Compendium is a series of essays concerning many of the history and lore aspects of the trolls and their many tribes on the old official site of Blizzard.
So, actually, The Dragonflight Codex isn’t the first to mention this trait regarding Dark Trolls. And while there are resemblances between Troll and real-life cultures, it doesn’t represent those cultures. If anything, the Troll culture was inspired by real-life ones. But the race, the characters, and whatever happens in the game is just pure fantasy.
Redditor Psychobatshitskank also pointed out that the content in the codex only reflects Khadgar’s opinion. And since it’s his point of view, it could be inaccurate. And it doesn’t show the complete picture of the game’s story:
Across online platforms, other WoW gamers also express similar views. On Blizzard’s forum, Carhagen even emphasized that highlighting the Night Elves’ intellectual superiority doesn’t imply categorizing Trolls as unintelligent:
In today’s world, we all aim for harmony without demeaning others. So, it appears unlikely that Blizzard would include potentially racist content in their product. Especially when the company is working so hard to regain the trust of their player base. As for the text, it seems the writers were more focused on the in-game world and the lore built over decades rather than intentionally inserting a controversial detail.
Yet, this is just one opinion. What about you? What are your thoughts on the matter? Feel free to share with us in the comments! But please keep the discussion kind, as this is a delicate subject. And remember, behind a screen is always a human.
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