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Whenever a significant prize-giving event approaches, one notices a demand for introducing additional classifications to recognize unsung work and fill the hearts of followers with niche passions.

Another commentator has already made advocating for terror-themed awards. That would rule. So would tabletop games, this being a passionate advocate's mission. But they will have to forgive me for pushing forward since similar to blinkered fanatics, I possess a compelling case backing this proposal remains most pressing and significant. This is the request: It's essential to create an award type for logic-based games.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Classifying creative works isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically spark debates and end in fuzzy definitions. It's understandable that movie academies avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.

For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, while allowing diverse titles to compete fairly, classification by type becomes crucial.

Current Gaming Award Categories

Prominent interactive entertainment events presently include award types recognizing Action-oriented games, Adventure-action titles, Role-Playing, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Between them, these award types actually cover a lot of ground, and you can find room for numerous titles.

Not so for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Examine these examples from outstanding current releases, each quite distinct: structural challenges of one title, intense tile-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges from additional release. What category would fit them among existing types? Simply put, no category fits.

The Representation Problem

There are dozens excellent brain-teasers published annually lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match award groups including Mobile Game, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested Indie races.

• A renowned logic title received no recognition for anything in 2014
• Another imaginative release received no nominations in 2019
• Well-received sorting experience got ignored recently
• Just some brain-teasers barely qualified for niche award types

Value of Brain-Teasers

Frequently they represent modest productions, yet the craft of the puzzle game is of massive significance. Famous handheld logic titles count as the most-played games globally continuing this trend for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it’s also in the running 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

Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. It would be easy to populate five nominees with fascinating, diverse, deserving games annually without trouble — or rather, with difficulty, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.

To emphasize again, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers operate at the hard edge of video game design, creating some of essential manifestations of the video game form. Comparable to film action specialists, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.