The Iconic Puzzle Game Didn't Succeed at The Game Awards — A New Category May Address This Issue

Whenever a significant awards ceremony approaches, one notices an outcry to include fresh award types to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

A fellow writer has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. The same goes for board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: There should be an award type for logic-based games.

Categorizing Game Types

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why cinema institutions don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, and you can find room for most games within them.

Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.

Acknowledgment Issues

Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.

• One classic puzzle game got overlooked completely in 2014
• A different innovative game was excluded that year
• Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
• Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for independent or mobile categories

Value of Brain-Teasers

These are often compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.

Proposal and Rationale

Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.

Restating the point, these are games lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.