Whenever a prominent awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a clamor to include fresh award types to recognize overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and it will always spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of video games, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types actually cover many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles count as most popular titles globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience competes with well-known building titles for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge game development, producing among most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait 35 years.
