Originally Posted by Odieman
To OP, this has been discussed before, suffice to say, you are not alone. I really despise this change they made at the last minute. Was so happy that they actually did it the correct and default way in EA. To then change it at the last minute reeks either of Wotc agenda or to "simplify" things for non D&D players and min/maxers... sigh. Ironic thing is it was easier before :P.
Sure, all this homogenization is WotC's doing. Look at Monsters of the Multiverse (if you can). If you make a PC using any of the races in there, you get +2 to one stat and +1 to another. And look at TCoE's Custom Lineage option. And it's supposedly getting even worse in One D&D (e.g., all races will have a move of 30', last I heard, but I don't keep up with One D&D, so it might have changed). Race in D&D is now just virtual cosplaying.