Tetris Didn't Win at The Game Awards — Another Award Type May Address This Issue

As any significant awards ceremony approaches, one notices a demand for introducing of new categories to honor underappreciated efforts and delight the hearts of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.

My colleague has already made supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. Equally deserving are tabletop games, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. However, I must insist for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. This is the request: We need a category for puzzle games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and typically generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why cinema institutions don’t do it. However, it represents an essential concession for the industry of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify one unified medium.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.

Existing Game Classification System

The major gaming awards offer these classifications covering Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, allowing placement for most games within them.

Not so for puzzle games. No suitable classification appears for their placement. Consider three of recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: structural challenges from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. What category would fit them among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.

Recognition Challenges

There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually without proper recognition at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.

• An iconic brain-teaser wasn’t nominated completely in 2014
• Another imaginative release received no nominations that year
• A beloved organization game was overlooked that year
• Just some puzzle games scraped into small studio or handheld classifications

Value of Brain-Teasers

Frequently they represent small games, yet the craft behind logic titles holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among most popular titles worldwide maintaining this status for over a decade.

The famous puzzle experience challenges well-known building titles competing to become best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Logic titles represent cornerstones within interactive entertainment, while interacting with almost every other genre.

The Solution and Justification

Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. One could readily select five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.

To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the challenging frontier game development, producing among essential manifestations within interactive entertainment. Just like movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay generations.