Tetris Couldn't Succeed at The Game Awards — An Additional Classification May Address This Issue

Whenever a major awards ceremony nears, there’s always a clamor to include of new categories to honor overlooked contributions and satisfy the spirits of followers with niche passions.

Another commentator made the case supporting a scary games classification. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are strategy board titles, this being a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize just as with other single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles.

Categorizing Game Types

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that movie academies don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of gaming, showing incredible range they hardly constitute as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.

Existing Game Classification System

The major gaming awards presently include classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, making space possible for numerous titles.

This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges in another game. Where could they possibly go among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.

The Representation Problem

Numerous examples exist of brilliant puzzle games released every year lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, except when they manage to fit award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.

  • A renowned logic title got overlooked in any category during that awards season
  • A different innovative game received no nominations that year
  • Well-received sorting experience received no acknowledgment that year
  • Limited numbers of puzzle games scraped into niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

These are often small games, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as the most-played games globally and have been for many years.

The iconic tile-matching title competes with popular creative games for the title of highest-selling title ever; it additionally competes 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 such difficulty. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent so many good games out.

And to reiterate, these represent titles without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Just like cinema stunt performers, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.

Edward Fischer
Edward Fischer

Design enthusiast and tech innovator with over a decade of experience in digital media and creative industries.