It's hardly surprising that the Pokémon franchise is part of this identity parade - the series is, after all, built entirely around the obsessive nature of collectibles. Tapping into the repressed OCD tendencies of gamers is just part of Pokémon's surface appeal though. The 'Gotta Catch 'Em All' slogan is simply the hook to reel you in, the real addiction takes hold once you've collected all the gym badges and beaten the Elite Four into submission. All that stuff is just preparation for what awaits. With no story commitments left and having been crowned Pokémon Champion, only then do you have the tools at your disposal to train, breed and battle your Pocket Monsters into perfect specimens. In fact, the post-story meta game of competitive Pokémon battles is tantamount to genetic modification on such a large that it would never be ethical in the real world. It's entirely possible (and not unheard of) to spend hundreds of hours breeding a specific 'Mon in the name of statistical dominance, and that's not even taking into account the bizarre concepts of cross-breeding, inherited traits from parents and shiny hunting. It's not easy being a Pokémon Master.