>>41031122>had to make changesOr they could have just let Pokémania die and become a more niche series, like what happened to Digimon. Digimon fans don't seem to begrudge the way their series has gone.
Your argument hinges on the idea that Pokémon HAS to be the number one grossing media franchise in the world. It doesn't have to be that way, and the series would almost certainly be better off if it weren't. Pokémon could become niche, or alternatively it could go the Zelda route and push all its energy into single releases that happen once every 3-4 years, building up hype over a long period of time and getting people excited for what comes next. It wouldn't make as much money, but the consumer would objectively get a better experience than the rushed yearly releases we're getting.