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

Each time a prominent prize-giving event nears, you'll find an outcry for introducing of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the spirits of followers who have specialized interests.

My colleague made the case for a horror game category. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, which is someone's personal cause. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal is the most urgent above others. The demand is this: There should be an award type for logic-based games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it remains highly personal, and typically generate discussions concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.

Current Gaming Award Categories

The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types successfully include numerous genres, allowing placement for numerous titles.

Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Nowhere, that’s where.

Acknowledgment Issues

Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers launched regularly without proper recognition in entertainment awards, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.

  • A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything that year
  • Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
  • Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
  • Just some puzzle games scraped into niche award types

Significance of Puzzle Games

These are often modest productions, however the design of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for an extended period.

The famous puzzle experience rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, while interacting across multiple categories.

Proposal and Rationale

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.

To emphasize again, these are games lacking appropriate categories at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait generations.

Melissa Clark
Melissa Clark

A passionate artist and writer dedicated to exploring new forms of expression and sharing insights on creative processes.