As any major awards ceremony nears, one notices a clamor to include of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of enthusiasts with niche passions.
A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front just as with other single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: There should be a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies don’t do it. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Only a few brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. You could fill five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers operate at the demanding boundary interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
