CapnZapp
Legend
Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath.I really don't understand this attitude. Not everywhere needs to become the Forgotten Realms. I think one of its great weaknesses is the fact that it's a kitchen-sink, anything goes setting that drowns in the mess of it all.
WotC needs to remember that less is more. The PHB, MM and DMG are resources to be mined for assets to add to your game, not an a la carte menu that must be available to all games and all settings.
I was quite disappointed that they chickened out with Curse of Strahd and allowed pretty much anything to go in that setting also, despite the setting being primarily populated with humans (I know that it's a demiplane of some sort but the genre calls out for a humans only adventuring party.)
The thinking goes like this: better to get the one customer that absolutely must have a tiefling pirate barbarian in the game. The people thinking that to be silly can always cut them out themselves.
And yes, that's sarcasm. I obviously agree with you it is the designer who should give us his or her vision. If that vision doesn't contain tiefling or pirates or barbarians, so be it and the end result is leaner, more focused and better for it.