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Each time a prominent awards ceremony nears, one notices a demand for the addition of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of fans dedicated to specific genres.

Another commentator previously argued supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for board games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument supporting my request stands as crucial and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.

Categorizing Game Types

Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason movie academies steer clear of genre categories. But it is an essential concession in the world of video games, which are so diverse they hardly constitute as a single art form.

For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.

Current Gaming Award Categories

The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications actually cover many game types, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.

Different situation exists for puzzle games. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

The Representation Problem

Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.

• An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category during that awards season
• A different innovative game was excluded that year
• A beloved organization game got ignored in 2021
• Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types

Value of Brain-Teasers

Commonly they're modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games stand as most popular titles in the world continuing this trend for over a decade.

The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles claiming status as highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and engaging with almost every other genre.

Proposal and Rationale

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. It would be easy to populate a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out.

To emphasize again, these are games without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.