So I read somewhere that Gen 2 was initially supposed to be the last Pokémon generation, but the success and popularity of Pokémon was what allowed the franchise to continue with new Pokémon added. And right now, there are so many Pokémon species and games, more than ever.
My question is, what would happen to the Pokémon fandom if Gen 2 was the last Pokémon generation? What would people think of Pokémon today? Also, how would that affect Nintendo?
I'm sure that some spiritual successor or its direct competitor is going to take its place if Pokemon ended in Gen 2. Or Digimon would reach Pokemon levels of success if that happens.
Pokemon took some of it's elements from Shin Megami Tensei especially the "make enemies into your allies" mechanic. That's the only possible conclusion that I could think of. Just imagine if Agumon is the most recognizable character instead of Pikachu.
At the beginning, there would be more demand for a new Pokémon game, manga, anime, and trading cards, even if the creators don’t listen. It could very likely have one of these outcomes:
It would have the same situation Star Wars had, where it was hugely popular at the time, but then eventually got revived or rebooted over a decade later.
It could be one of these franchises like Banjo-Kazooie and Spyro the Dragon where only 90’s kids would remember, even if Pokémon was vastly popular at the time. But it will always have a community that would engage in battling and discussions, and would even find a way to play online.
As for Nintendo, it wouldn’t be as big of a brand name like it is now. And if people were asked what they would think of Nintendo, they would only think games like Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong. Since Pokémon helped shape Nintendo to what it is now, it’s hard to imagine Nintendo without Pokémon.
