Each time a significant prize-giving event nears, there’s always a clamor for introducing fresh award types to recognize unsung work and fill the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. So would tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
- Limited numbers of puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges famous sandbox experiences for the title of highest-selling title ever; it also contends for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones to the art of video games, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators function at the hard edge interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
