Each time a major prize-giving event nears, there’s always a clamor to include of new categories to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations avoid this approach. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories successfully include many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears to put them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often modest productions, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience competes with famous sandbox experiences for the title of highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators function at the hard edge game development, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait decades.
