Each time a prominent prize-giving event nears, there’s always a demand to include fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the passions of enthusiasts with niche passions.
My colleague made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession for the industry of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Only a few logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
These are often modest productions, however the design behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among the most-played games globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these are games that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
