Whenever a major prize-giving event approaches, one notices a demand to include additional classifications to recognize unsung work and satisfy the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications actually cover numerous genres, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Popular arranging title got ignored recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face such difficulty. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home in important events. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of the purest expressions of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
