As any major awards ceremony approaches, there’s always a demand for introducing of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and delight the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would tabletop games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of gaming, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications successfully include a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked for anything during that awards season
- A different innovative game received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, yet the craft behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as most popular titles in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience competes with well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
