Each time a significant prize-giving event draws close, there’s always a demand to include of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the hearts of followers with niche passions.
Another commentator has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that film award organizations avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil for the industry of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them a single creative category.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
Acknowledgment Issues
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition completely in 2014
- Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment recently
- Just some logic titles barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as the most-played games worldwide and have been for many years.
The legendary block-stacking game challenges popular creative games competing to become best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home in important events. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary game development, creating some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.
