As any major honors show draws close, one notices a clamor to include fresh award types to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of gaming, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles of one title, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games released every year without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Just some brain-teasers managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, yet the craft of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games in the world and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience challenges famous sandbox experiences for the title of most purchased experience; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
