Each time a significant awards ceremony nears, you'll find an outcry for introducing additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and delight the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. That would be fantastic. The same goes for tabletop games, representing someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. This is the request: There should be an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and inevitably start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise in the world of gaming, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies offer these classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, making space possible for most games within them.
Not so for brain-teasing titles. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.
The Representation Problem
Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, except when they manage to fit for categories like Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.
- One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything in 2014
- Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
- Only a few logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent small games, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.
Proposal and Rationale
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.
Restating the point, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Logic title developers function at the hard edge interactive creation, developing some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.
