Whenever a major awards ceremony nears, there’s always an outcry for the addition of new categories to acknowledge unsung work and delight the spirits of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards offer these award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition completely that year
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- Popular arranging title was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge interactive creation, developing some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
