Each time a significant awards ceremony approaches, there’s always a clamor for the addition of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the passions of fans who have specialized interests.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front just as with other blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case supporting my request stands as crucial above others. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; it’s very subjective, and typically start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards presently include genre categories for Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games published annually lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
- Another creative title was excluded that year
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games stand as most engaged experiences globally and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience competes with well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. It would be easy to populate five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.
Restating the point, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
