Damn it, there's nothing more simultaneously awesome and frustrating than to have an article idea kicking around in one's head only to see someone else beat you to the punch, and not just beat you to the punch, but so simply and completely unpack the topic that you're left with nothing else to say.

I will add one thing though: my first thought upon seeing you skip the first generation is that you missed an opportunity. The first generation of games was made by programmers for other programmers, and as such their cardinal sin tends to be extreme complexity. Spacewar!, for instance, was too complicated for those not versed in the operation of computers to enjoy, much less operate. Even Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney's arcade version, Computer Space, which stripped the game down even further and provided a custom control pad for each player that clearly showed the functions of each button, didn't perform well among the general populace. It's why so many people look at Pong as the 'first video game', even though it wasn't--it was just the first video game easy enough to understand and play that the average adult could jump in and have a good time.

Other than that, you nailed every generation's cardinal sin beautifully. I'd argue against using Manhunt as your example of stealth shoehorned in, since the game was built around being sneaky from the start (even if it does abandon that in later levels), and instead pick something like Beyond Good & Evil which did shoehorn stealth through the use of way too many missions where you had to remain undetected.

Otherwise, this is damn awesome and I have no complaints. Upvoted and resteemed! You rule, sir, and I bow to you. :)