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As any major prize-giving event draws close, one notices an outcry for the addition of new categories to acknowledge unsung work and delight the passions of enthusiasts who have specialized interests.

Another commentator previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. That would be fantastic. Equally deserving are tabletop games, which is a dedicated supporter's campaign. But they will have to forgive me if I try to elbow in front because like all blinkered fanatics, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial and important of all. This is the request: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.

The Genre Classification Challenge

Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and it will always generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. But it is an essential concession in the world of gaming, which are so diverse they hardly constitute one unified medium.

For comprehensive acknowledgment of achievement in video games to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, specific award classifications remain vital.

Existing Game Classification System

The major gaming awards offer these genre categories for Action-oriented games, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories successfully include many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences.

Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. No appropriate category exists for their placement. Examine these examples from this year’s best games, all very different: the architectural riddles from a specific release, fast-paced pattern recognition of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Nowhere, that’s where.

Acknowledgment Issues

There are dozens excellent brain-teasers launched regularly lacking appropriate categories at major award shows, if they accidentally match classification types such as Mobile Game, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested independent game categories.

• An iconic brain-teaser received no recognition in any category that year
• A different innovative game was excluded during that ceremony
• A beloved organization game was overlooked recently
• Limited numbers of logic titles barely qualified for small studio or handheld classifications

Importance of Logic Titles

Frequently they represent compact experiences, yet the craft of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Iconic mobile puzzle games count as most popular titles worldwide and have been for many years.

The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences competing to become most purchased experience; it also contends for best game of all time. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks within interactive entertainment, while interacting across multiple categories.

Proposal and Rationale

Logic titles wouldn't face this problem. You could fill a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences annually without trouble — perhaps, with difficulty, given the need to exclude so many good games out.

To emphasize again, these are games that otherwise have no home in important events. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier game development, producing among essential manifestations of the video game form. Just like film action specialists, they deserve recognition. Don't make them wait 35 years.