The Iconic Puzzle Game Didn't Succeed at The Game Awards — A New Category Could Fix That

Each time a major awards ceremony approaches, you'll find an outcry to include additional classifications to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the hearts of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

A fellow writer previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a classification for brain-teasing titles.

Categorizing Game Types

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and typically spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. But it is an essential concession for the industry of gaming, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to gain proper attention, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.

Existing Game Classification System

Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories successfully include numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: building puzzles in a particular game, intense tile-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.

Recognition Challenges

There are dozens excellent brain-teasers launched regularly without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.

  • One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
  • A different innovative game was excluded that year
  • Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
  • Limited numbers of puzzle games managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications

Significance of Puzzle Games

These are often compact experiences, however the design behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Famous handheld logic titles stand as the most-played games globally and have been for an extended period.

The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.

And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, creating some of most fundamental forms of the video game form. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.

Summer Murray
Summer Murray

A business strategist with over 15 years of experience in digital transformation and corporate innovation, known for data-driven insights.