As any significant prize-giving event draws close, one notices a clamor for introducing additional classifications to honor unsung work and fill the passions of followers with niche passions.
My colleague made the case for a horror game category. It would be amazing. So would board games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front since similar to single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case supporting my request is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: We need an award type for logic-based games.
The Genre Classification Challenge
Categorizing art by genre is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.
Present Award Structure
The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, allowing placement for numerous titles.
Not so for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, each quite distinct: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere.
Acknowledgment Issues
Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging independent game categories.
- An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated in any category during that awards season
- Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
- Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment recently
- Only a few logic titles barely qualified for niche award types
Importance of Logic Titles
Frequently they represent compact experiences, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most engaged experiences globally and have been for over a decade.
The famous puzzle experience competes with famous sandbox experiences for the title of highest-selling title ever; it also contends for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.
Recommendation and Reasoning
Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. One could readily select multiple candidates engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
And to reiterate, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the demanding boundary of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay generations.
