dʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃənz bɹˈænd wʌz ɪnˈɪʃəli kənsˈiːvd ɪn dʒəpˈæn æz ɐ ɹᵻspˈɑːns tə ðə kˈʌntɹiz fˈæstɚ pˌɑːpjʊlˈeɪʃən ˈeɪdʒɪŋ ɹˈeɪt kəmpˈɛɹd tə wˈɛstɚn ɹˈiːdʒənz, wɪð nɪntˈɛndoʊ sˈiːkɪŋ tʊ ɐtɹˈækt nˈɑːntɹɐdˈɪʃənəl ɡˈeɪmɚz tə sˈʌplɪmənt ðɛɹ ʃɹˈɪŋkɪŋ tˈɑːɹɡɪt mˈɑːɹkɪt ʌv hˈɑːɹdkoːɹ ɡˈeɪmɚz.
Generations brand was initially conceived in Japan as a response to the country's faster population aging rate compared to Western regions, with Nintendo seeking to attract non-traditional gamers to supplement their shrinking target market of hardcore gamers.