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As any major honors show nears, one notices a demand to include additional classifications to recognize underappreciated efforts and fill the spirits of followers who have specialized interests.

Another commentator previously argued for a horror game category. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, representing a dedicated supporter's campaign. Yet I need to apologize in advance when I prioritize just as with other single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification backing this proposal remains most pressing above others. This is the request: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Organizing artistic expressions defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and typically generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. This explains why movie academies avoid this approach. Yet it remains an unavoidable compromise within the realm of video games, that demonstrate such variety they hardly constitute a single creative category.

To recognize the complete range of achievement in video games to gain proper attention, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, specific award classifications remain vital.

Present Award Structure

The major gaming awards currently feature genre categories for Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Together, these award types successfully include a lot of ground, making space possible for numerous titles.

This doesn't apply to logic-based experiences. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Think about these this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges of one title, fast-paced pattern recognition in a different title, thought-provoking social scenarios from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles launched regularly lacking appropriate categories during gaming ceremonies, unless they happen to qualify award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the extremely competitive independent game categories.

• A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated completely during that awards season
• A different innovative game received no nominations that year
• Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
• Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications

Value of Brain-Teasers

These are often small games, however the design in brain-teasers holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games count as the most-played games globally and have been for many years.

The iconic tile-matching title rivals famous sandbox experiences competing to become highest-selling title ever; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.

Recommendation and Reasoning

Logic titles wouldn't face that issue. You could fill multiple candidates interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.

And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the demanding boundary interactive creation, developing some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they merit acknowledgment. Don't make them wait 35 years.