>>28681912Because this is the first gen that they didn't have to focus a lot of their attention on coverting 600+ sprites into 3D models. The Gen VI Pokemon felt like afterthoughts in their own game.
They have a lot more experience under their belts now, and now when they design a Pokemon they know it's being designed to be in 3D. The official art doesn't matter like it used to, because the official art was basically just a better-looking sprite.