Paraphrased from one of the podcasts: It’s also been indicated by Todd Howard that Bethesda wants to make each race more distinct and meaningful – to make it a more important decision when you start the game. But I understand your point also. Hopefully, they have come up with a means to make race a more important decision, while still leaving open the option to play the game any way the player desires through the course of the game.
i just think if they make races loyal to the lore (orcs are some of the finest front line soldiers/ Bosmer are skilled archers) they'd be fine. I can always choose to play a Redguard wizard even though the lore states they dont like to rely on magic. It comes down to the player. I think if I play a race for a specific playstyle, i should have advantages as opposed to playing a race because i think its cool or pretty (I'm not against that either, i'm just trying to make a point). I think a Nord should start off with more encumbrance, but a Kahjiit should move faster. Bretons should be better with Magic, and have more Magicka than a Dunmer, who is pretty much the jack of all trades race, and should receive small bonuses across the board. It just makes sense in my mind to distinguish the races because if you go back and start a new game, having the option to play a powerful player as opposed to a graceful one would immensly help replayability in a game series that players play forever already.
sorry for the rant. PARAPHRASE- i hope so too.