Whenever a significant awards ceremony approaches, you'll find an outcry to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
A fellow writer has already made for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories successfully include many game types, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations during that ceremony
- Popular arranging title was overlooked that year
- Only a few logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, however the design in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as the most-played games worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games competing to become best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait decades.
