Each time a significant prize-giving event draws close, one notices a clamor to include of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the hearts of fans who have specialized interests.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case supporting my request is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify as a single art form.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Current Gaming Award Categories
The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games released every year that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category that year
- Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, but the art of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles stand as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators operate at the hard edge game development, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay generations.
