Each time a significant prize-giving event draws close, you'll find a demand for the addition of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. So would tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. But it is a necessary evil in the world of video games, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Think about these this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated completely that year
- Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Well-known matching games count as most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, creating some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
