Whenever a prominent honors show nears, one notices a clamor to include additional classifications to honor overlooked contributions and fill the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are board games, this being someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition completely in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Just some puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — actually, with challenge, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
