Tetris Couldn't Succeed at The Game Awards — Another Award Type Might Solve This

Whenever a prominent honors show draws close, there’s always a demand for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge unsung work and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.

A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. So would tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front just as with other blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.

Categorizing Game Types

Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why cinema institutions steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they hardly constitute a single creative category.

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.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Prominent interactive entertainment events offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, allowing placement for most games within them.

Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Acknowledgment Issues

Many instances occur outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.

• One classic puzzle game received no recognition for anything during that awards season
• Another creative title was excluded in 2019
• A beloved organization game got ignored that year
• Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

These are often small games, however the design of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences globally maintaining this status for many years.

The famous puzzle experience challenges popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Puzzle games wouldn’t have such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.

To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary game development, producing among essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.