Each time a major prize-giving event draws close, one notices a clamor for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case for why my demand remains most pressing above others. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. Yet it remains an essential concession for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications actually cover a lot of ground, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among the most-played games in the world and have been for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, producing among essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
