Each time a major prize-giving event approaches, there’s always an outcry for the addition fresh award types to honor unsung work and delight the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification supporting my request remains most pressing and important of all. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Present Award Structure
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.
Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive Indie races.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out that year
- A beloved organization game got ignored recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among the most-played games globally and have been for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it also contends for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, producing among most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
