The Eladrin have existed in all previous editions of D&D. They're just a player race now.
I think also that elves were both seen as aloof wizards and wild hunters and that it could be interesting to explore both types without having to look over the shoulder.
They are elves. 4E took the five classic elf subraces--high, grey, wild, wood, and dark--and turned them into three distinct races. High and grey elves merged into eladrin; wild and wood elves merged into 4E-elves; dark elves became (remained) drow.
To elaborate, "eladrin" elves in 4e are grey/high /magic/galadriel elves, while "elf" elves are wild/wood/legolas elves.
It also responds to a player complaint about 3e elves, who had wizard as a favored class but racially were much better rogues or rangers. With class restrictions removed in 3e, the old elf's niche as F/MU disappeared, and the racial abilities didn't offer any compelling reason to be take wizard levels.
To elaborate, "eladrin" elves in 4e are grey/high /magic/galadriel elves, while "elf" elves are wild/wood/legolas elves.
It also responds to a player complaint about 3e elves, who had wizard as a favored class but racially were much better rogues or rangers. With class restrictions removed in 3e, the old elf's niche as F/MU disappeared, and the racial abilities didn't offer any compelling reason to be take wizard levels.
I actually thought this was a design feature rather than a flaw in 3E. The fact that the ability score modifiers suggested a rogue/Ranger type and the favored class was Wizard meant that the Elf would indeed do well with either option, just as intended.
The variation is still there. You have bralani, ghaele, tulani (all in the Monster Manual), shiere (as a paragon path in PH2), coure (as a familiar in Heroes of the Feywild) and I brought back the shiradi in Heroes of the Feywild (formerly seen in the 3e Book of Exalted Deeds).But 2E Eladrin were a group of beings, not a singular race. The 4E eladrin are closest to Ghaele Eladrin from Planescape (in look). So why not just use the Ghaele? Why get rid of all the variation?
I like the idea of a teleporting race, but why do they have to look and feel almost exactly like elves? Other than the game mechanical features this race seems really unnecessary.
What have I missed?
-Havard