20 years is a great milestone, but TPCi has to realize that they have competition this year with Zelda and Sonic, who also have milestone anniversaries.
It's always like that. Oh well. I think TCPi should be more concerned with making sure they don't release their games within a week of games that have the same fanbase. Looking at you Fire Emblem Fates and Project X Zone 2 (both be competing with RBY as well, given they come out a week later).
I say that, and then realize that the Pokemon fanbase is unique in so many ways. First of all, it still exists after 20 years (Citation: This forum). Secondly, it spans all ages, something that most games can't claim (Citation: Play Pokemon events, this forum). It has found a way into every aspect of our culture, and looks to continue that way.
Everyone can enjoy Pokemon in some way or another, and it's great to see how it unifies people from all over the world. If you had told me before I started playing that I would be having to coordinate times to play a video game with people half way across the globe from me, I would not have believed you. But here I am.
The real reason behind this, from what I have seen, is the universal themes it covers. Friendship, trust, struggle, all understood anywhere in time or space. Just look at the quotes in my sig. People of every nation cried together when Grovyle sacrificed himself to save the world (be honest, you cried during that scene). PMD2 discussed big topics such as betrayal, suicide, and the idea that our actions could bring about the destruction of the world in a way that touched children's hearts. Hell, I still get teary when I hear "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye" or "A Wish for Peace" from PMD2. Almost everyone understood what Team Plasma's message was in Black and White, and it made many seriously consider the moral code that the Pokemon world lives by. Lysandre's message in X and Y was profound as well, he even cried upon telling the player that Pokemon would be removed from the world. Even Cyrus had logical reasons for his actions (they were the same as Lysandre's). All of these characters had perfectly logical points to consider, even if their methods were not acceptable. These are why people stick with Pokemon rather than Digimon or the like.
"Life can be a challenge.
Life can seem impossible.
It's never easy when so much
is on the line.
But you can make a difference.
With courage you can set things right.
The gift to dream and make dreams real
is yours and mine."
- "The Power of One"
Pretty damn good for a 100th post :P