The Iconic Puzzle Game Couldn't Succeed at This Gaming Ceremony — A New Category Could Fix That

As any major honors show approaches, one notices a clamor to include of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and satisfy the passions of enthusiasts with niche passions.

Another commentator made the case advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. So would strategy board titles, this being a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize because like all dedicated enthusiasts, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Organizing artistic expressions is not a science; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably start arguments and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why cinema institutions don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute one unified medium.

To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, genre categories are essential.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Prominent interactive entertainment events currently feature classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these classifications actually cover many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, all very different: structural challenges in a particular game, intense tile-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Where could they possibly go within current classifications? Simply put, no category fits.

Recognition Challenges

Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions.

  • A renowned logic title got overlooked completely in 2014
  • Another creative title was excluded that year
  • Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
  • Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for independent or mobile categories

Significance of Puzzle Games

These are often small games, but the art of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games stand as most popular titles worldwide continuing this trend for over a decade.

The famous puzzle experience competes with famous sandbox experiences for the title of most purchased experience; it also contends for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent so many good games out.

Restating the point, these represent titles that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge game development, developing some of essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.

Ryan Hunter
Ryan Hunter

A seasoned gaming journalist and esports analyst with over a decade of experience covering competitive gaming scenes.