Whenever a major honors show approaches, there’s always a clamor to include fresh award types to honor overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types actually cover a lot of ground, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category that year
- Another imaginative release was excluded that year
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often modest productions, but the art behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences in the world maintaining this status for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles without proper classification at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
