I miss half-elves already

Yes, I know there's a whole half-race explanation now, and you can still technically be a half-elf, but with all the news about the new PHB, I'm depressed about how what was a full, rich species with lore and art has been relegated to a mechanic.

Half-elves have been my favorite race/species for nearly 30 years. They have the perfect mix of relatable and fantasy, and the right kind of character hook to be an adventurer since they never really fit in. Plus unlike full elves, they can grow beards. It just always made a lot of sense me. So I was always annoyed by the news that they were removing them as a bona-fide standalone species, but seeing the reality in the PHB has made it suddenly feel a lot worse.

I saw someone describe it as the difference between having Captain Falcon in Smash Bros. and him being removed and being told you can have his moves on a Mii character, and I think that's exactly it. Even if you gave all of Falcon's moves to someone else, it lacks the vibrance that Falcon has, and it also has down-stream disadvantages. Game series like Baldur's Gate had significant half-elf representation, but it's not clear how that will work moving forward, as they become more an afterthought. The unfortunate reality I've seen is that things like this tend to be diminished over time. If you're not given your time to shine in the book, you're quickly replaced with those that are ultimately marketed better in the official materials. So it feels like the beginning of the end.