Each time a prominent honors show nears, one notices a demand to include of new categories to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the hearts of fans dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for board games, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward just as with other single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case for why my demand stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: There should be a category for puzzle games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they barely qualify one unified medium.
To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.
Existing Game Classification System
The major gaming awards offer these award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types actually cover many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.
Different situation exists for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, each quite distinct: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.
- A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything in 2014
- Another creative title received no nominations that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent compact experiences, however the design behind logic titles is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most popular titles globally maintaining this status for an extended period.
The iconic tile-matching title competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
The Solution and Justification
Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay decades.
