Whenever a major prize-giving event draws close, there’s always an outcry for the addition additional classifications to honor underappreciated efforts and satisfy the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize just as with other blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, 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.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories successfully include many game types, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely that year
- Another creative title was excluded in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences in the world and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
