The Iconic Puzzle Game Couldn't Win at The Game Awards — Another Award Type Could Fix That

As any major prize-giving event draws close, one notices a clamor for the addition additional classifications to honor unsung work and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.

A fellow writer made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, which is someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Classifying creative works isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. But it is an essential concession in the world of video games, which are so diverse it's challenging to consider them one unified medium.

To recognize the complete range of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for numerous titles.

Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Think about these recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

Many instances occur outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.

  • A renowned logic title received no recognition completely in 2014
  • Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
  • Popular arranging title was overlooked that year
  • Just some brain-teasers scraped into small studio or handheld classifications

Significance of Puzzle Games

Commonly they're small games, however the design of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Well-known matching games count as most popular titles globally maintaining this status for an extended period.

The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation across multiple categories.

The Solution and Justification

Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.

To emphasize again, these are games lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers function at the challenging frontier game development, producing among most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.

Steven Porter
Steven Porter

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their impact on society.