Tetris Couldn't Succeed at This Gaming Ceremony — Another Award Type Could Fix That

Each time a major honors show nears, you'll find a demand to include of new categories to acknowledge overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.

A fellow writer has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. The same goes for tabletop games, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Classifying creative works isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, which are so diverse they barely qualify a single creative category.

To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to receive proper recognition, genre categories are essential.

Current Gaming Award Categories

The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these classifications effectively encompass many game types, making space possible for numerous titles.

Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Consider three of outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. What category would fit them among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.

Acknowledgment Issues

Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers released every year that have no home at major award shows, unless they happen to qualify for categories like Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.

  • One classic puzzle game received no recognition completely during that awards season
  • Another imaginative release missed out that year
  • Popular arranging title got ignored recently
  • Just some logic titles barely qualified for niche award types

Value of Brain-Teasers

Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Well-known matching games count as most engaged experiences worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.

The iconic tile-matching title rivals well-known building titles competing to become most purchased experience; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. It would be easy to populate multiple candidates with fascinating, diverse, deserving games every year with ease — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.

And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the hard edge game development, creating some of most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Similar to cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting 35 years.

Austin Morrison
Austin Morrison

A productivity coach and mindfulness advocate with over a decade of experience helping individuals optimize their routines and find balance.