Each time a major prize-giving event nears, you'll find an outcry for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for board games, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that film award organizations don’t do it. But it is a necessary evil in the world of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
- Popular arranging title got ignored in 2021
- Only a few logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, but the art of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games globally and have been for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Puzzle game makers are working at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
