Whenever a major awards ceremony approaches, there’s always an outcry for the addition additional classifications to honor overlooked contributions and satisfy the passions of followers with niche passions.
Another commentator has already made for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case supporting my request is the most urgent and significant. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil for the industry of video games, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards presently include genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types actually cover many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers published annually that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.