Whenever a significant prize-giving event nears, one notices a demand to include additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the passions of enthusiasts with niche passions.
A fellow writer made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. The same goes for tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and typically generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession for the industry of gaming, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards offer these award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories actually cover many game types, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. What category would fit them among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment in 2021
- Only a few brain-teasers barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among the most-played games worldwide and have been for an extended period.
The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences for the title of highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators operate at the hard edge game development, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait decades.
