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Each time a significant prize-giving event approaches, there’s always a demand for the addition of new categories to acknowledge underappreciated efforts and fill the spirits of fans dedicated to specific genres.

My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. So would board games, this being someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a category for puzzle games.

Categorizing Game Types

Classifying creative works is not a science; it’s very subjective, and it will always generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. It's understandable that film award organizations steer clear of genre categories. Yet it remains an essential concession for the industry of interactive entertainment, that demonstrate such variety it's challenging to consider them as a single art form.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to gain proper attention, and for games of all stripes to have a chance for representation, genre categories are essential.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Leading game ceremonies presently include genre categories for Action, Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these classifications actually cover many game types, allowing placement for numerous titles.

Not so for logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, showing diverse approaches: the architectural riddles of one title, intense tile-matching in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios of a third title. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

The Representation Problem

Many instances occur excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive small studio competitions.

• One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category that year
• Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
• Popular arranging title got ignored that year
• Limited numbers of puzzle games managed to sneak into niche award types

Value of Brain-Teasers

These are often modest productions, but the art of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games stand as most engaged experiences worldwide and have been for an extended period.

The famous puzzle experience challenges famous sandbox experiences for the title of best-selling game of all time; it also contends for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and engaging with diverse game types.

Proposal and Rationale

Puzzle games wouldn’t have that issue. You could fill a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent many worthy titles.

To emphasize again, these represent titles lacking appropriate categories during prominent ceremonies. Puzzle game makers operate at the hard edge game development, producing among the purest expressions of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting generations.