🔗 Share this article Tetris Didn't Win at The Game Awards — A New Category Could Fix That Each time a major awards ceremony nears, there’s always an outcry for introducing of new categories to recognize underappreciated efforts and delight the spirits of enthusiasts who have specialized interests. A fellow writer previously argued for a horror game category. That would rule. Equally deserving are board games, this being someone's personal cause. However, I must insist for pushing forward since similar to blinkered fanatics, there's a strong justification for why my demand is the most urgent and significant. Here's the proposal: We need a classification for brain-teasing titles. Organizing Gaming Categories Organizing artistic expressions isn't exact; it remains highly personal, and typically spark debates resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is an unavoidable compromise for the industry of gaming, showing incredible range it's challenging to consider them as a single art form. For the full spectrum of interactive entertainment excellence to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to compete fairly, genre categories are essential. Existing Game Classification System The major gaming awards currently feature award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Fighting, Sim/Strategy, and Sports/Racing games. Together, these six categories effectively encompass many game types, allowing placement accommodating various experiences. This doesn't apply to puzzle games. No suitable classification appears to put them. Consider three of this year’s best games, all very different: structural challenges from a specific release, intense tile-matching in a different title, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. What category would fit them between these six categories? Unfortunately, nowhere. The Representation Problem There are dozens outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition at major award shows, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, and the highly challenging small studio competitions. A renowned logic title wasn’t nominated for anything that year A different innovative game missed out during that ceremony Popular arranging title was overlooked recently Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types Significance of Puzzle Games These are often modest productions, but the art in brain-teasers carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games rank among the most-played games worldwide and have been for over a decade. The iconic tile-matching title competes with well-known building titles for the title of most purchased experience; it’s also in the running for top gaming experience. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, while interacting across multiple categories. The Solution and Justification Puzzle games wouldn’t have this problem. You could fill a field of five with fascinating, diverse, deserving games each ceremony simply — actually, with challenge, given the need to exclude so many good games out. To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification in important events. Logic title developers are working at the challenging frontier game development, creating some of essential manifestations of gaming itself. Just like movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. We shouldn't delay decades.