Each time a major prize-giving event approaches, one notices an outcry to include additional classifications to honor overlooked contributions and satisfy the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward just as with other blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game received no nominations in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for niche award types
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 most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles for the title of best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier game development, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.