Pokémon What if Pokémon ended after Gen 2?

[-Apples-]

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?

 

[Yanrima~]

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.

 

[-Apples-]

Here’s what I would think:

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.

 

[Neb]

If Pokemon ended at the end of Gen 2 like it was originally to intended during development and never got rebooted I think it'd become a niche series that is mostly remembered for nostalgia reasons. It would have a cult following online for sure.

For many people the series really did end in gen 2 for them and they grew out of it before briefly coming back for Pokémon Go when it was new. The majority of millennials that grew up with the series know only the original 151 or in some cases the first 251. If the series ended at Gen 2 then that demographic would be even larger since there would be no more new games to look forward to.

 

[LambdaDelta]

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.

devil children/demikids becomes the new multibillion dollar franchise

 

[oath2order]

If Pokemon ended at the end of Gen 2 like it was originally to intended during development and never got rebooted I think it'd become a niche series that is mostly remembered for nostalgia reasons. It would have a cult following online for sure.

For many people the series really did end in gen 2 for them and they grew out of it before briefly coming back for Pokémon Go when it was new. The majority of millennials that grew up with the series know only the original 151 or in some cases the first 251. If the series ended at Gen 2 then that demographic would be even larger since there would be no more new games to look forward to.

I think it would also have a very large fanbase nowadays calling for a reboot of the series. I think we'd absolutely get a Gen 3 because at some point Nintendo would absolutely be like "huh maybe reboot this dead series, see what happens".

Gen 3 would absolutely not be like Ruby/Sapphire. It would look a lot like Gen 1 because they wouldn't want to go too crazy with it.

 

[Snek]

It would still be popular and have a fanbase. It would just be considered a "vintage" franchise. I don't think Pokémon games would have stopped because the need for more Pokémon games will never stop. I do think that the popularity will wane though, especially if they continue down the current path they are on, and this could have an effect on future games.

 

[matt]

Id have preferred if it ended after gen 4. I'm sorry but I know hardly any of the Pokémon after then despite playing all the games.
There are now too many Pokémon, a complete national dex after gen 4 is near impossible for anyone without access to previous games.

I liked Sinnoh because the battle island made it possible to fill the national dex without using the pal park for all but major legendaries and exclusives.

Even then a 500 national dex was hard going ... But it had it's rewards.

Given the new games don't even have all Pokémon in, it goes to show the fact there are simply too many Pokémon now it's getting ridiculous.

Let's face it, how can the Pokémon world that had hoenn, Sinnoh, johto and kanto.....have boats etc, technology like poketch.........and there still be undiscovered Pokémon and regions nearly 20 years on.

Obviously there's still money in the franchise to be made, but where do you draw the line? Continue milking the random sprite generator for ice creams and sand castles with faces?

I'm playing Pokémon Silver on 3ds virtual console ATM. Never completed scarlet, got about 70% through . When you start attacking monster trucks and "revavrooms" I start preferring the older games, sorry

 

[DarthGohan1]

I'd be totally fine with that. Not to say there haven't been good Pokemon from Gen 3 onwards, but 250 Pokemon from the first 2 gens was more than enough imo. Now with close to 1000 Pokemon, there are too many. Instead of just dumping another 50 or 100 Pokemon every year, most of which are pretty meh imo, it would be great if they focused more on improving and innovating the gameplay instead. Rather than getting another half baked kiddie game every year or two.

I get why Gaemfreak/Pokemon Company don't, but it would be nice.

 

[-Apples-]

I'd be totally fine with that. Not to say there haven't been good Pokemon from Gen 3 onwards, but 250 Pokemon from the first 2 gens was more than enough imo. Now with close to 1000 Pokemon, there are too many. Instead of just dumping another 50 or 100 Pokemon every year, most of which are pretty meh imo, it would be great if they focused more on improving and innovating the gameplay instead. Rather than getting another half baked kiddie game every year or two.

I get why Gaemfreak/Pokemon Company don't, but it would be nice.

While I respect the franchise going forward, I would be okay with a Pokémon game with just the first 251 species, plus Alolan forms, Galarian forms, Hisuian forms, Paldean forms, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon (before Pokémon Let’s Go was announced, I thought to myself that I would be fine with a game with just the Gen 1 Pokémon only for as long as Alolan forms and all Eevolutions were included).

 

[SkyKnight03]

I don't think it would cause anything revolutionary. There's been popular franchises that start and halt forever into purgatory. Here's my take based on what usually happens.

- The popularity will eventually fade without new Pokemon games but there would be a small fanbase around Generations 1 and 2 that hangs on to those old games from childhood.

- There's demand for a new game. Either Nintendo listens and revives the franchise...or more likely:

- Gen 1 gets remastered in an attempt to recapture the initial Pokemon craze. Or they go an alternative route and make a spiritual successor that isn't exactly Pokemon but follows the same formula (a reboot).

You would likely see a ton of Pokemon inspired games that resemble Gen 1 and Gen 2. The longer Nintendo goes without acknowledging the dead franchise, the more you would end up seeing.

 

[Aerith]

Wooper would still exist and that's all that matters

 

[-Apples-]

Wooper would still exist and that's all that matters

So will Hoppip since Hoppip is from the same generation.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

Hmmm, there's a lot of Pokémon that I absolutely love that are from generations beyond gen 2, but honestly I think I would have been fine with it ending at 2. I think Pokémon has gotten far too complicated and gimmicky; it feels like they're just beating a dead horsea at this point

 

[Midoriya]

I feel like the games would become vintage, as others here alluded to, but Nintendo could still make money off of it through merchandise, the TCG, and other means. I do have to wonder how they would have concluded the anime, however. Especially since cutting it off at gen 2 essentially means Ash never truly wins the Pokemon League (he didn't until Alola and Galar's series).

 

[LambdaDelta]

there'd be less official games/mons, but I'm sure the community, alongside its fangames, would be just as booming