Each time a prominent honors show nears, you'll find an outcry for introducing additional classifications to recognize overlooked contributions and fill the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an essential concession in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for puzzle games. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category during that awards season
- A different innovative game missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Significance of Puzzle Games
Frequently they represent compact experiences, but the art of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience challenges famous sandbox experiences claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge game development, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.
