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Wednesday, October 7, 2026
London ACE Office

Tetris Wouldn't Triumph at The Game Awards — An Additional Classification Might Solve This

As any significant prize-giving event approaches, one notices a clamor for introducing of new categories to recognize overlooked contributions and delight the spirits of followers dedicated to specific genres.

My colleague previously argued supporting a scary games classification. That would rule. The same goes for strategy board titles, representing someone's personal cause. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other dedicated enthusiasts, I possess a compelling case for why my demand is the most urgent and important of all. This is the request: It's essential to create a category for puzzle games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; it’s very subjective, and it will always start arguments resulting in unclear classifications. There’s a reason film award organizations don’t do it. But it is an unavoidable compromise in the world of gaming, 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 offer these classifications covering Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Between them, these six categories effectively encompass numerous genres, and you can find room for numerous titles.

Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to put them. Consider three of recent excellent titles, all very different: structural challenges in a particular game, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them within current classifications? Nowhere, that’s where.

Acknowledgment Issues

Numerous examples exist outstanding logic titles released every year without proper recognition during gaming ceremonies, if they accidentally match award groups including Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, and the highly challenging Indie races.

  • One classic puzzle game got overlooked in any category during that awards season
  • Another imaginative release received no nominations during that ceremony
  • A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
  • Limited numbers of logic titles managed to sneak into niche award types

Importance of Logic Titles

Frequently they represent compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game holds tremendous importance. Well-known matching games stand as most engaged experiences worldwide continuing this trend for an extended period.

The legendary block-stacking game challenges well-known building titles claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends as greatest title ever. Puzzle games are foundational to the art of video games, and engaging with diverse game types.

The Solution and Justification

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter this problem. You could fill a field of five engaging, different, qualified experiences every year with ease — or rather, with difficulty, given the need to exclude many worthy titles.

And to reiterate, these represent titles without proper classification during prominent ceremonies. Brain-teaser creators are working at the hard edge interactive creation, developing some of the purest expressions of gaming itself. Comparable to movie stunt professionals, they deserve recognition. We shouldn't delay 35 years.

SM
About the author

Sharon May

Jonathan is a business consultant with over 15 years of experience in corporate services and workspace solutions.

London ACE Office

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