There's seems to be some over reactions to one post. Using the term "ruined" was unnecessary, but I also don't think the guy hates Pokemon now or anything. Sounds to me like some people encounter this a lot more than they'd like to. But I honestly wouldn't say this fanbase is as bad as Sonic or Zelda or whatever. I hear that tossed around a lot when there's a disagreement people have heard one too many times. It's just as easy to play the broken base card as it is the ruined forever card. But you can't base your judgment off of a few (too many) altercations.
Besides, I'd honestly argue the fanbase was worse in its older years. Like someone else said, people have always stated that each new generation was worse than the one prior. That's never changed. There was a time where everyone was defensive/opinionated over and about everything, and there only a handful of Pokemon compared to what there is now. This dates back as early as the second generation, maybe earlier (though if true, I wasn't old enough to realize it). But most of those people have all grown up, now, and aren't really that concerned about a video game anymore. To us, it's a fun memory. A new generation of players have gotten into Pokemon, and I feel it's different from what I remember.
Correct me if I'm painting an overly positive picture, but it seems like most people these days don't care about the total number, the designs, the generation's seniority or anything. They like that the series is very diverse, and not only that, but has wider coverage than it used to. It seems to be a whole lot easier to connect to people as Pokemon fans and enthusiasts because the series has had a long time to establish itself. In a sense, the old guard basically died off (by which I mean mellowed out), and are just happy to share the memories, and the new generation learns from these perspectives (if they aren't super jaded). Conversely, the new generation's enthusiasm and involvement with newer creatures can get older gamers excited and even interested in the series as it is currently, even if some people just like a handful of new designs. Overall, it's come to a point where, for the most part, we're all just happy Pokemon exists for some reason or other, and the details don't matter as much as the experiences.
Just tossing in a couple more pennies. No need to overreact on either side of the fence, guys. Maybe we should do more to find out the why on both sides (don't be afraid to talk to each other, we're all here for the same general reason ;)), as opposed to hasty conclusions. But for now, just smile and enjoy the ride.
Also, as far as the evolution of a franchise goes and sucessful reinvention, that's a topic for another time. There's plenty of discussion there, but you'll find its actually hard to come up with the best possible solution, and not everybody gets it right.
