As any significant awards ceremony nears, one notices an outcry for introducing fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize just as with other single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession for the industry of gaming, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition completely that year
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles globally continuing this trend for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it also contends for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators operate at the hard edge of video game design, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.
