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Whenever a prominent awards ceremony draws close, there’s always an outcry to include fresh award types to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the passions of fans with niche passions.

A fellow writer previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. Equally deserving are tabletop games, which is someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance for pushing forward because like all single-minded supporters, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. This is the request: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Classifying creative works defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, 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 video games, showing incredible range they hardly constitute as a single art form.

For the full spectrum of gaming accomplishments to receive acknowledgment, while allowing diverse titles to have a chance for representation, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

The major gaming awards presently include genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Simulation and strategy titles, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these classifications actually cover many game types, and you can find room for numerous titles.

This doesn't apply to brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, thought-provoking social scenarios in another game. Where could they possibly go between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

Acknowledgment Issues

Numerous examples exist excellent brain-teasers released every year lacking appropriate categories in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match for categories like Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.

• One classic puzzle game wasn’t nominated in any category in 2014
• Another creative title received no nominations in 2019
• Well-received sorting experience got ignored in 2021
• Limited numbers of brain-teasers barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications

Value of Brain-Teasers

Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Famous handheld logic titles count as most engaged experiences globally continuing this trend for over a decade.

The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational for gaming as medium, while interacting with almost every other genre.

The Solution and Justification

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill five nominees interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude numerous deserving experiences.

To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home at major gaming awards. Logic title developers operate at the challenging frontier game development, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait decades.