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Whenever a prominent awards ceremony nears, you'll find an outcry to include additional classifications to acknowledge unsung work and satisfy the hearts of enthusiasts with niche passions.

Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would tabletop games, representing a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always start arguments concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why film award organizations don’t do it. However, it represents an unavoidable compromise for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Leading game ceremonies currently feature classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these award types successfully include many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.

This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to accommodate them. Think about these outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges in a particular game, fast-paced pattern recognition from another release, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. What category would fit them between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

Recognition Challenges

There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games launched regularly that have no home during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging Indie races.

• A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything during that awards season
• Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
• Well-received sorting experience was overlooked that year
• Limited numbers of puzzle games barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications

Importance of Logic Titles

These are often small games, but the art in brain-teasers is of massive significance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles in the world and have been for over a decade.

The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. It would be easy to populate a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave so many good games out.

And to reiterate, these represent titles that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Brain-teaser creators function at the demanding boundary game development, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.