As any major honors show nears, there’s always a demand for the addition of new categories to recognize unsung work and fill the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize just as with other single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent above others. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and it will always spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles released every year that have no home during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category that year
- Another creative title received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Only a few logic titles scraped into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the challenging frontier game development, producing among essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
