As any major awards ceremony approaches, you'll find a clamor to include additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and satisfy the passions of fans with niche passions.
My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why film award organizations avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover many game types, making space possible for most games within them.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles in a particular game, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
The Representation Problem
Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything during that awards season
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles globally and have been for over a decade.
The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, while interacting with diverse game types.
The Solution and Justification
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these are games without proper classification in important events. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.
