Hello there, Allie! Great to see ya here in the forums!
It's understandable that you are new to Pokemon. That's okay! Whether you are new to the Pokemon world, we are more than welcome to show you what the franchise, or even the fandom is all about. There's a lot to learn. I can tell you, however, that you are not really required to play the previous games just to learn what Pokemon was all about, as all of the Pokemon are pretty much featured in the newer games...or at least you can catch them in the games now! It's cool, huh?
I really hope you are liking the game so far, and Pokemon in general. Have you found a favorite Pokemon yet? Maybe a favorite starter?
Enjoy the forums, btw! I hope you stick around, learn everything about Pokemon as much as you can, and don't hesitate to ask questions, alright? See ya!