As any major awards ceremony draws close, there’s always an outcry to include additional classifications to honor unsung work and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title received no recognition in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
- Just some logic titles barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as most engaged experiences globally and have been for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these are games lacking appropriate categories in important events. Puzzle game makers are working at the hard edge game development, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
