>>55747480You’re somewhat right, but it’s entirely accurate to group some Gens with each other as “eras”
Gen 1 and 2 are the classic Pokémon era, released when pokemania was at its highest.
Gen 3 and 4 were what many consider to be the “golden age” as this is when Pokémon was at its least widely discussed, and as such was untainted by the constant bitching of an adult fanbase giving gamefreak mixed signals about where to go next, allowing them to express their creativity completely uninhibited.
Gen 5 marked a turning point for the series, when being nothing like the games that came before or after.
Gen 6 and 7 marks the point where gamefreak very explicitly started to pander to the increasingly casual fanbase, likely brought about by the alienation Masuda felt resulting from the gen 5 backlash.
Gen 8 and 9 mark the point where gamefreak has settled into a new normal for the series, fully committing the casualized nature of prioritizing broad appeal.
Regardless of when you consider your personal cutting off point, the series has undeniably gone through distinct phases, with certain Gens being more obviously related to others.
