Each time a major prize-giving event approaches, one notices an outcry for the addition fresh award types to honor underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of followers with niche passions.
Another commentator has already made for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, which is someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. However, it represents an essential concession within the realm of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types successfully include many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything in 2014
- A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Only a few logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent compact experiences, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
