Each time a major awards ceremony nears, one notices a demand to include additional classifications to recognize unsung work and fill the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. The demand is this: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- Popular arranging title got ignored recently
- Only a few logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games count as most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the hard edge of video game design, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
