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Global Observer

Tetris Wouldn't Succeed at The Game Awards — A New Category Could Fix That

Whenever a major awards ceremony draws close, there’s always an outcry for the addition additional classifications to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and satisfy the passions of fans with niche passions.

A fellow writer has already made supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. The same goes for board games, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. This is the request: There should be a category for puzzle games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason cinema institutions don’t do it. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.

To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Leading game ceremonies presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications effectively encompass a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.

The Representation Problem

Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles published annually without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.

  • A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated in any category during that awards season
  • Another imaginative release was excluded in 2019
  • Well-received sorting experience was overlooked in 2021
  • Just some puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

Frequently they represent small games, but the art behind logic titles is of massive significance. Well-known matching games stand as the most-played games worldwide and have been for an extended period.

The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games competing to become best-selling game of all time; it additionally competes for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, and engaging with diverse game types.

Proposal and Rationale

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. One could readily select five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.

Restating the point, these are games that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier of video game design, producing among the purest expressions of the video game form. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.

About the author

Tyler Weiss

A seasoned journalist with over 15 years of experience covering European politics and international relations, based in Berlin.

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