As any significant prize-giving event approaches, there’s always a demand to include fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of fans with niche passions.
My colleague previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications successfully include many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category during that awards season
- Another creative title missed out in 2019
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment that year
- Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Frequently they represent small games, however the design in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games globally continuing this trend for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
To emphasize again, these represent titles without proper classification at major gaming awards. Logic title developers operate at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of the purest expressions within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.
