Each time a major awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a demand for the addition fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of followers with niche passions.
My colleague made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing and important of all. The demand is this: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise in the world of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked completely that year
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- Popular arranging title got ignored recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for many years.
The famous puzzle experience rivals popular creative games claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these are games that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary interactive creation, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
