Masuda realizing players actually do get older.
IMO I think he does realized that, that's why there exist Pokemon GO and OVA Pokemon Origin, and in previous Pokemon XY played the nostalgia card.
But, the thing I think he doesn't understand at all is that, although fans may be getting older, but that doesn't mean older fans prefers the old things from the earlier generations. The gaming preference and trend of general public changes accordingly, and that is regardless of ages, people shall adapt themselves to new things if that is the general trend, willy-nilly. So there is really no need to play the nostalgia card so excessively blatant to the point of directly pointing out the target demographics of "the ones who had played Pokemon Red and Green" (from PV of Pokemon Origin).
Personally I prefer a franchise that keeps on "evolving" according to the current era we are in, bringing out new things that is significantly different from its predecessors, where then it is always refreshing to keep up with every new development, yet paying respect to its very first origin, remembering the key factor what makes its franchise successful in the first place, using that as the foundation and keeps on expanding and building further upon it.
Not a franchise that always keep on using the old gimmicks again and again and again without any innovation, or simply a rehash imitating the old structure that looks like something new but contents and inner substances are still remain exactly the same.
In replying to this thread, I wonder will the game structure of badge quest and journey to the Pokemon League with villainous team interrupting in between will ever receive any major change. It seems like GenVII is about to bring in this change, but until further information is revealed, I'll said this is something very unlikely to happen.
