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Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Modern Poker Solutions

Tetris Couldn't Win at The Game Awards — A New Category Might Solve This

As any significant awards ceremony draws close, one notices a clamor for introducing additional classifications to recognize unsung work and satisfy the passions of followers who have specialized interests.

My colleague previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. So would strategy board titles, this being a passionate advocate's mission. Yet I need to apologize in advance if I try to elbow in front just as with other single-minded supporters, there's a strong justification for why my demand stands as crucial above others. This is the request: We need an award type for logic-based games.

Organizing Gaming Categories

Categorizing art by genre isn't exact; opinions vary greatly, and typically generate discussions resulting in unclear classifications. This explains why cinema institutions avoid this approach. But it is a necessary evil within the realm of interactive entertainment, showing incredible range they barely qualify a single creative category.

To recognize the complete range of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and for games of all stripes to receive proper recognition, classification by type becomes crucial.

Present Award Structure

Leading game ceremonies offer these award types recognizing Action, Action/Adventure, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories successfully include many game types, and you can find room accommodating various experiences.

Different situation exists for brain-teasing titles. There’s simply nowhere for their placement. Examine these examples from recent excellent titles, showing diverse approaches: building puzzles of one title, the pulse-pounding block-matching from another release, engaging interpersonal challenges of a third title. What category would fit them among existing types? Unfortunately, nowhere.

Recognition Challenges

There are dozens outstanding logic titles published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, except when they manage to fit classification types such as Handheld titles, VR/AR Game, or the intensely contested Indie races.

  • An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked for anything during that awards season
  • Another imaginative release was excluded during that ceremony
  • A beloved organization game got ignored recently
  • Just some puzzle games barely qualified for niche award types

Significance of Puzzle Games

Frequently they represent small games, but the art behind logic titles carries substantial weight. Iconic mobile puzzle games rank among the most-played games in the world continuing this trend for many years.

The legendary block-stacking game rivals popular creative games for the title of most purchased experience; it additionally competes as greatest title ever. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks for gaming as medium, and they are in conversation with almost every other genre.

Proposal and Rationale

Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter that issue. One could readily select a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles each ceremony simply — perhaps, with difficulty, because you’d have to leave many worthy titles.

And to reiterate, these include experiences that otherwise have no home during prominent ceremonies. Logic title developers function at the challenging frontier game development, producing among essential manifestations of gaming itself. Similar to movie stunt professionals, they warrant appreciation. Let’s not keep them waiting decades.

BM
The writer

Barry Manning

Professional poker player with over a decade of experience, specializing in GTO theory and modern cash game strategies.

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