Whenever a significant awards ceremony draws close, there’s always a clamor to include fresh award types to honor unsung work and satisfy the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies don’t do it. However, it represents an essential concession within the realm of video games, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute a single creative category.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards presently include award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include numerous genres, and you can find room for most games within them.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release was excluded that year
- Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Just some logic titles scraped into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often modest productions, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles in the world and have been for an extended period.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with well-known building titles claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
