The fact TPC registered losses in the fiscal years where the often-considered best games in the franchise were released can explain so many things about their recent behaviour...
I think it's safe to say that money speaks, and the money says we won't be getting a HGSS, Platinum, or BW2 style Pokémon game ever again. The franchise I loved died a decade ago.
... You know what, I'm gonna be the positive one this time. While I agree that them having a down year when late Gen IV and Gen V would effect their behavior, I'm going to disagree it's that we're never going to see a game on the scope of Platinum or story-driven as Gen V ever again.
Instead, what I think GF learned from those down years, the following up years, and the recent years skyrocketing is that it doesn't matter what they do. Story-driven, content-packed, bare-bones, remakes; there's just no predicting on their part when the games are gonna sell well or there's going to be a down period. So, you know what they said?
"F*** IT! We'll do what we want!"
And thus we've pretty much entertained a period of Pokemon where GF is more interested in experimenting with what they can do with the base mechanics. Sun & Moon tossed out having a traditional Pokemon League for the unique Island Challenge. USUM tried combining the advanced version concept of Emerald/Platinum with the duel "sequel" concept of BW2. Let's Go was both a remake of Yellow Pikachu Version and a tie-in with GO. Sword and Shield made the Pokemon League even MORE of the main plot than before by turning it into a sporting event like Soccer plus having the Wild Area concept. Sword & Shield further expanded the Wild Area concepts via its DLCs, one specifically that was exploration-focused and the other story-focused. BDSP in particular was a big test for them because it's not that they wanted to see if they could make a 1:1 remake and see if it would sell, but rather they wanted to see if given the blueprints could another game company make a Pokemon game (and as much problems we've heard about the development of BDSP was, it ultimately was still made, functional, and sold really well; so yes another game company can make a main series Pokemon game). Finally Legends: Arceus is GF really stretching their wings to see how far can they take the Pokemon concept and keep it feeling like a Pokemon game.
Though, as I said, there is another lesson that GF learned from these sales which explains their behavior as of late: to strike when the iron's hot. All of the sudden, not since its popularity, Pokemon has become a major selling franchise again in recent years. A likely confused GF, having decided to do whatever they want, also decided that if people are buying the games now they better make sure there are games to buy. Thus, they've been focused on releasing a game once-a-year (or major game content once-a-year) to keep the money train on rolling. They get to do whatever experiment they want, the franchise is making lots of money, and fans are constantly getting new stuff. Seems like a win-win-win*, right?
* as long as you don't care too much about the content...
Only question is now, what experiment are they doing with Scarlet & Violet?
