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Tetris Wouldn't Win at This Gaming Ceremony — A New Category Could Fix That

As any major prize-giving event approaches, you'll find a clamor to include of new categories to honor unsung work and satisfy the spirits of enthusiasts with niche passions.

Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. That would be fantastic. The same goes for strategy board titles, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize since similar to single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument backing this proposal stands as crucial above others. Here's the proposal: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.

Categorizing Game Types

Classifying creative works is not a science; it remains highly personal, and it will always spark debates concluding with vague boundaries. This explains why movie academies steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains a necessary evil within the realm of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute a single creative category.

For the full spectrum of achievement in video games to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.

Present Award Structure

Leading game ceremonies presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement for most games within them.

Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Think about these this year’s best games, each quite distinct: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Unfortunately, nowhere.

The Representation Problem

There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.

  • One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category in 2014
  • Another creative title was excluded during that ceremony
  • Popular arranging title received no acknowledgment that year
  • Only a few puzzle games barely qualified for independent or mobile categories

Significance of Puzzle Games

These are often compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles globally continuing this trend for many years.

The famous puzzle experience rivals famous sandbox experiences claiming status as most purchased experience; it’s also in the running as greatest title ever. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, and engaging across multiple categories.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill five nominees engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.

And to reiterate, these are games lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers are working at the hard edge game development, creating some of most fundamental forms of gaming itself. Comparable to cinema stunt performers, they merit acknowledgment. We shouldn't delay 35 years.

Written by

Jorge Henderson

A tech strategist with over a decade of experience in digital transformation and startup consulting.

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