Each time a major prize-giving event approaches, one notices a clamor for the addition of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, representing someone's personal cause. However, I must insist for pushing forward just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
