Whenever a major awards ceremony approaches, there’s always a clamor for introducing fresh award types to acknowledge unsung work and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.
Another commentator made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. So would strategy board titles, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing and significant. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Classifying creative works isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.
For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these classifications successfully include a lot of ground, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to accommodate them. Consider three of this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. Which classification works within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category in 2014
- A different innovative game missed out that year
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers scraped into independent or mobile categories
Value of Brain-Teasers
Commonly they're modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles rank among most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for many years.
The famous puzzle experience challenges famous sandbox experiences for the title of most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.
To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators operate at the challenging frontier of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.
