Whenever a major prize-giving event approaches, there’s always a clamor for the addition of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of followers who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer has already made for a horror game category. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial and significant. Here's the proposal: We need an award type for logic-based games.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of gaming, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications actually cover many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Think about these recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely that year
- Another creative title missed out during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Only a few puzzle games managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games count as most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with popular creative games competing to become most purchased experience; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. It would be easy to populate a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these include experiences lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the demanding boundary game development, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.
