As any prominent awards ceremony nears, there’s always a demand to include of new categories to honor unsung work and satisfy the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. So would board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Organizing Gaming Categories
Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.
This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
The Representation Problem
There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.
- One classic puzzle game got overlooked for anything during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
- Limited numbers of logic titles scraped into small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
These are often small games, yet the craft in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among most popular titles worldwide and have been for many years.
The famous puzzle experience competes with popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for best game of all time. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers function at the demanding boundary interactive creation, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Similar to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay 35 years.