Whenever a major prize-giving event draws close, there’s always a clamor for the addition additional classifications to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request is the most urgent above others. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored recently
- Just some puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're small games, yet the craft behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences globally and have been for many years.
The iconic tile-matching title challenges popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, developing some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
