As any prominent honors show approaches, there’s always a demand to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and satisfy the hearts of followers who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range they barely qualify as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories successfully include a lot of ground, and you can find room for most games within them.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- A renowned logic title got overlooked completely in 2014
- A different innovative game received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
These are often compact experiences, yet the craft behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.
Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary game development, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Comparable to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.
