Whenever a major awards ceremony approaches, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
- Just some puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent compact experiences, yet the craft of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the challenging frontier interactive creation, producing among most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
