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Tetris Wouldn't Succeed at The Game Awards — A New Category Might Solve This

As any significant prize-giving event draws close, you'll find an outcry for the addition additional classifications to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the passions of followers dedicated to specific genres.

Another commentator has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. The same goes for board games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand remains most pressing above others. Here's the proposal: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; opinions vary greatly, and inevitably start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. There’s a reason film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. However, it represents a necessary evil in the world of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of interactive entertainment excellence to receive acknowledgment, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

The major gaming awards currently feature classifications covering Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these classifications effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for most games within them.

This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Think about these outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: building puzzles of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.

Acknowledgment Issues

There are dozens outstanding logic titles launched regularly without proper recognition in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.

  • One classic puzzle game received no recognition in any category during that awards season
  • Another creative title was excluded that year
  • Well-received sorting experience was overlooked recently
  • Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into small studio or handheld classifications

Importance of Logic Titles

Frequently they represent compact experiences, but the art in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as most popular titles worldwide and have been for over a decade.

The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles claiming status as most purchased experience; it also contends for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.

And to reiterate, these include experiences without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers are working at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Comparable to film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait generations.

About the author

Amber Palmer

Elena Voss is a tech entrepreneur and digital strategist with over 15 years of experience in building innovative web solutions.

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