As any major prize-giving event draws close, you'll find an outcry for the addition of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the hearts of followers who have specialized interests.
Another commentator has already made for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types actually cover a lot of ground, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit award groups including Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition completely during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some brain-teasers managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among the most-played games worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these represent titles without proper classification in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the hard edge game development, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
