Whenever a prominent awards ceremony draws close, you'll find a clamor for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case supporting my request is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Only a few logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge game development, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
