So especially in 3e, but probably earlier and absolutely going forward, WotC would respond to heavily requested options that the designers didn't actually want in the game by producing a drastically nerfed or otherwise undesirable version. I call these 'now shut up' options because they essentially tell the players 'we did what you asked, now shut up', but someone trying to be fair to them would call them compromises (because they are completely compromised like the hull of the Titanic.)
Raptorians were where I first realized it, but other notables include Savage Species where Level Adjustment was introduced, making 'undesirable' playable monsters both a thing, but awful, the original dragonborn, and a response to people not liking the restrictive level adjustment of half dragons where you go trough a rebirthing (see what I mean about all the fetishes flying around back then?) to be come not quite as good as a half dragon.