I was at my local airsoft/paintball store when I over heard a conversation between the store owner and a customer. The customer was trying to figure out which game to go into. Airsoft or Paintball. The owner proceeded to tell this guy(maybe 19-20) that paintball although popular in the past is starting to go out of style and that airsoft is the "New" thing to get into.
I was amazed I never believed that airsoft would ever surpass paintball as far as gun sports go. I listened a little while longer and heard that many paintball fields were allowing airsoft more and more. Aswell one place he knew of for sure was opening up strictly for airsoft use.
I was wondering if this is old news or is this completely wrong and the owner has no idea what he is talking about. I would love for airsoft to become more popular so that I don't have to travel as far to play in a real facility. What I want to is, is airsoft getting more popular than paintball?

Did you jump in and say Airsoft?

I hope airsoft is, that makes the airsofter's now the veterans lol...well not really I've only been playing 3 years or so.

Airsoft is a great sport... but I think it is too easily challenged to sustain large-scale play. First of all, they leave no marks. If you're playing with some random people that shelled out $20 and don't want to play for less than 5 minutes, then there'll be quite a few cheaters... and most likely the fields can't afford 50 refs to watch everything. There's also the fact airsoft itself does get some bad reputation from recklessness. It's possible airsoft can overtake paintball... but IMO it's also highly unlikely.

Airsoft isn't overtaking paintball but they're both exploding at an incredible rate. That's just as good.

Your right mate- now that I look at it. More 'an more paintball parks are letting airsoft. On top of that, there are lots of airsoft parks themselves. Nothing else could really happen. Airsoft is on the rise. Iv'e really noticed the past few years. Probably because the weaponry is so incredibly realistic. But yeah mate I think someday the realness of airsoft will surpass, more than likely because of the awesome weapons. Hey did you ever see airsoft paintballs. I almost bought some the other week. Their really cool. Different colors an stuff. The ultimate super cool rockin awesome dream gun sport:

Airsoft Paintball:

...Might dang well be on the rise too...

airsoft paintballs usually jam the guns...
ive used em before when I used springers and they totally jammed my gun. also they leave like no paint so u couldnt tell.

But still, what I kinda meant was if their on the rise, they'll get better in quality, 'an be the prefered ammunition. Yeah, I know, right now their not that good. But hey.

airsoft has taken over in my area. all my frends have quit paintball because of the price and the mess it makes. so from what I can tell, airsoft is gradualy becoming more popular.

no way. Paintball is still HUGE. In the big board rankings, the 16th largest message board in the world is a paintball forum. I searched and didn't find a single airsoft forum. Paintball has a huge spread throughout the country and I imagine other places as well.

but paintball has been in America longer than airsoft has. so people have known about paintball longer.

Where did you read that?

http://rankings.big-boards.com/?p=1

my beloved General Mayhem has dropped from 16th to 20th :(

It's ok, we still have the mosts posts per capita by FAR. :)

Not right now, but as new generations of people start playing these games I think airsoft will win out. The looks of the weapons and the style of play, plus the fact of no mess, in airsoft I think will diminish paintball over time.

There will NEVER be an "overtaking" of paintball by airsoft. They are similar in only one way, that in each you shoot at other people and get shot at... the similarity ends there.

Another reason why is because you cannot, EVER.... have an Airsoft TOURNAMENT, in which prizes are awarded to the winner of the skirmish. With not clear way to call hits, you cannot PROVE who ACTUALLY should have won. No tournaments, no reason for "Sponsored" teams, no Escalation of competitiveness, and thus, no cheating... well, there are cheaters in airsoft, but they are idiots, there is no REASON to cheat in airsoft, other than to try to make yourself feel better... but that doesnt work, because you cant feel better about your self knowing you had to cheat to win.....

Airsoft is NOT a sport... as much as people call it that... its NOT a sport. Its not really even a game... in sports and games, the most important thing is who wins... in airsoft, the winner is not important, as long as you have a good time playing. And if you need to WIN to have fun, airsoft is not the hobby for you.

There IS however a way to have Competitions with airsoft guns, that award prizes to winners.. and thats Tactical/Practical target events... where the winner is clearly defined by time and target score. Thats the ONLY way you can give prizes to winners of an event in Airsoft. And since no one does that with paintball... again.. no "overtaking" of paintball with airsoft.

Also... No one will ever be able to make good enough money on ONLY airsoft games.... one place I know of tried to do it... making you buy their "field bbs" and as soon as they announced that... they lost over half their prospective customers... The only places that can afford to run an airsoft field as a BUSSINESS, are those who have stores that sell all the quility airsoft guns and gear that go along with it... which is where they make their money. Not in the games... in the store... they only run the games to give people a reason to buy their gear and guns.

Wow....IGN is 2nd. I knew it was big but Darn....

I see it being more and more large as time goes on.
I think the big appeal of paintball originally was the war game aspect. Now, it's just guys who look like motorcycle riders (someone really needs to explain that to me some day), who don't even look while shooting. The actually keep firing every second, using the gun like a kid with a water hose with no nozzle.
Thgose like me who got into it in the 80s know it was never originally about that. It was about a combat simulation like you had as a kid, only this time you didn't need to argue who got who first.
I think that airsoft finally pulled those like me in. I left paintball years ago and have never missed it. Now that I have some guns, I can't wait to go to events now. I am also a WW2 re-enactor, and did civil war re-enacting ever since I was 7. To me, it's the ultimate re-enactment in a way. I also really like the uniform and gear aspect to it all. When I was active duty, I'd never have done the modern stuff. But now that I've been a civilian for a few years, I miss it so damned much. To me, it's a way to get that "in the field" feeling, and still be able to sleep in my own bed afterwards!

It's not surprising that Airsoft would be overtaking paintball, Airsoft just has the realism that makes it more fun to play. I didn't really get into paintball because to me, it was just a sport. Airsoft on the other hand is almost like real combat. Whether you're sniping from a hill while wearing a ghillie suit, or breaching and clearing a room during a CQB battle, there's a realism to it that makes it more exciting, more challenging, and just more fun to play, well at least for me it does. I got into Airsoft because I loved playing games like Counter-Strike and I wanted to get into playing a Combat Simulation sport. I started playing Paintball but did not get very into it. To me it was just a bunch of guys in big bright red and blue jumpsuits hiding behind giant inflatable walls, and shooting each other with "guns" that don't even look like real weapons. Then my friend suggested that I get into airsoft because it had more realistic weapons and gear compared to paintball. Now I go Airsofting almost 3-4 times a month, and in between those games, eliminate soda cans in my indoor RV parking garage (it's almost like a miniature shooting range ). I haven't gone paintballing ever since I started playing Airsoft.

This post has been edited by mustangg1: Jan 20 2006, 12:50 AM

you say airsoft will never over take because people wouldn't call hits? This may be true, but not when we add the pain factor of 900fps! jk, yeah it wont it sucks though...I'm still a paintballer true in heart but so I am an airsofter...I started paintballing long before airsofting but airsofting is more accessable...I would love to play in tournaments, or at least big game tournaments...here in vancouver washington I cant find huge events and being 15 and cant drive really doesn't help me either...plus my older friends that can drive thinks airsoft is crap compared to paintball, thus they only take me paintballing lol

No I am not saying Airsoft wont overtake paintball because people wont call hits... I am saying it wont because you cant PROVE who has been hit... physical evidence of an elimination is required for you to without a doubt declare a winner... You cannot do that in airsoft... thus...airsoft is NOT a game or a sport.

Paintball = Sport
Airsoft = Hobby

A sport and a hobby are to different for one to "take over" the other.

lol true, I was just trying to add some humor to this

All I have to add to this is my agreement with BP. Paintball is too much of a sport, while airsoft is a hobby. Many of the old woodsball paintball players (like me) are switching over to airsoft because of the realism and style of play. Woodsball paintball may be becoming less popular but certainly not paintball as a whole...

This post has been edited by madv: Jan 20 2006, 02:09 AM

from my experience, I belive airsoft is overtaking paintball in some areas. I used to work as a ref here in town at a paintball feild before getting working at an airsoft store. You wouldnt belive how many kids I saw from the feild coming in and buying guns. In the kansas area, airsoft is deff. overtaking paintball. if it hasent taken over in your area, its cause no one has heard of airsoft.

Again... read my last two posts.

Hi BattlePriest,

Just a few thoughts I have to throw in here.

Usually I am in agreement with what you state BattlePriest. Often I'm like a sponge, sucking up all the information you give because empirically you do seem to know what you expound. But I have to disagree with your opinion that Airsoft is not a sport.

Even if no shots are fired in a skirmish or game (which then eliminates your argument of the authenticity or inability to prove a hit), where the players are ordered not to engage the enemy but to merely gather intelligence one cannot dismiss the skill, the adrenaline rush and the competitive nature such an event demands and inspires. All of which are synonymous with sports.

There are many physical and competive elements involved in Airsoft which lends credence to the argument that it is a sport rather then a hobby - the latter being such as one in which Grandma enjoys especially for relaxation. There's not much relaxation involved when your senses are constantly being taxed and you can feel your heart beating 100 miles an hour.

Everytime a hunter goes hunting he/she does not always return with a kill. But does such results make it less of a sport?

Now as far as Airsoft not being considered a game I have one, err two words for you. War-games.



This post has been edited by spawnbringer: Jan 20 2006, 12:05 PM

THe word "Sport" implies that there is a Victor, and a Loser. Such is not the case, even in Airsoft War "Games" ... Or as I keep saying... even when a war game has a point system for keeping score of finished/sucesfully completed missions... you still cannot PROVE that the missions for which a team scored points, were actually victorius if they involved ANY sort of gun fire.

I don't consider Hunting a Sport... or at least I do not condone hunting merely as a sport. I consider hunting a means of obtaining meat for food. I do not condone hunting in which that is not the primary focus. (in which you do not EAT the game you killed)

Target shooting... Can be a sport.. but I don't consider hunting a sport.

Of course, if you look for definitions of "sport" or "sports" you find MANY different permutations. One of which, would imply that airsoft is a sport... however, I do not agree considering that every other activity people consider to be a sport... involves a set of rules and a decided victor. Airsoft does not have the latter. You cannot give prizes for winning in Airsoft, which is in the end, what made Paintball what it is today.

Regardless... Call it what you will... I still say that Airsoft and Paintball are so dramatically different, one must not worry that one may "take over" the other. Paintballers may convert to airsoft, but if they play airsoft with the same mindset that they played paintball with.. they wont fit in, or wont like it. Meaning they will eventually either quit or be run out of airsoft and go back to paintball.

Airsofters who decide they would rather play paintball... don't really belong in Airsoft to begin with.

But hey.. I am always very spirited in my opinions dealing with Paintball and Airsoft. don't take me too seriously on this subject.

Hmm really? I wasn't aware of that.


Right. I do understand your position and (if I may be so bold) even your reasoning here.


So... Ahem, it would seem that with your reasoning here even a TV game show could be considered as a sport - having a set of rules and a decided victor that win prizes.


I agree with you here BP. Airsoft and Paintball are indeed different, and the mindset of those who play either are or seem to be just as different as well.


No, really? I didn't notice.


Got it.

He Heh.. Umm No.. lol

ALL the definitions of "sport" that I have seen agree that a Sport is a competion that involves exherting physical and/or dexterous skill.

Paintball has lost a lot of hardcore skirmishers. The way paintball is headed towards being a sport though rather than a simulation. You will probably never change any of the speedballers although I was once one but left due to getting sick of spending thousands of dollars on something repetitive.

I don't think airsoft will take over paintball. If it does its not anytime soon. Also I was a member at www.pbreview.com. Its like ASF but its about paintball and has reviews also. It's a nice size and nice people. PBnation sucks. Too many people, most bungholes. I thought the steam forums *cringes* would be on the front page.

I think many people that have posted would agree that paintball and airsoft are different. Especially the players. Airsoft and paintball players differ dramatically. I try and recruit people to our airsoft group and most of the people I've recruited are former paintball players, myself included. I talk to them about their paintball experiences and mostly ask them how they would define themselves as a paintball player. Quite honestly, I hate their responses. I've got answers that range from how they've "cheated" while playing paintball and how they repeatedly shoot people after they're already out. That would NEVER work in airsoft.

For airsoft to "overtake" paintball, paintball players would have to switch to airsoft, and the whole aspect of military simulations would dissolve. Bleh!

Now for the whole sport vs. hobby situation...

I believe with a small group of respectable, close-knit friends, airsoft is most definetly a sport. It gets to the point where people can actually trust eachother. Once you can weed out the players who actually do cheat, you're left with a group of honest players. From there, the sport really does become a competition with a defineable victor. Whether it be the last person standing or whoever completes the set objective.

Now having said that, it is understandable how it could be considered a hobby. National competitions are not two groups of friends, but rather highly competitive players or professionals whose number one goal is to win. Under those circumstances, it is not possible to prove if someone is out.

Although it could be possible to appoint a medley of refs and assemble cameras on literally every inch of your field. But that doesn't guarantee anything. In fact, it only increases the cost of playing. Unless you're extremely determined, airsoft could only be a hobby when there are too many people.

Riding the fence is always the best option. It's like being a politician.

Airsoft is making PB suck more every day... It sucks up all the milsim people like me, leaving the bright orange jersey guys behind.

I used to do big scenario painball games.... and woods ball.... but there is less of that around now. Both woods and scenario games are the sort that refs were useless at.

I belive most of the discussion here hinges on your definition of "sports." BP is not defining "sports", however. He is saying that no matter how you define "sports", airsoft will not fit. Just as war reenactments are not sports, neither is airsoft. Not many people with a mindset for speedball are interested in civil war reenactment.

All that said, paintball and airsoft have such totally different styles of gaming that you cannot compare their growths. There will always be people who would rather play paintball than airsoft, and vice versa.

Also, a real paintball player will never want to play or even like airsoft or (once again) vice versa.

Okay, I like your reasoning here and I agree with you.

Okay. Again I like your reasoning and see your point. Wait, Professionals? If you mean those who use the sport as a means of income okay.

Hmm. So it comes to this. If those playing Airsoft are using sportsmen like conduct and are honorable then it's a sport. But Airsoft is a hobby when highly competitve players or professionals play because they can't be expected to be honor bound to tell the truth because their number one goal is to win. Hmm, wait a minute. Is that right, or do I have something wrong here?



And you seem to do it quite well too.

Let me put it this way... When I used to play paintball, it was like airsoft is today... until the big name tourneys and big name prizes started coming about. Now you had manufacturers paying teams to wear their logos, and those teams not only won prizes from winning the game, but got cash bonuses from their sponsors. their main goal now is to win... at all costs... because it means cash in their hands... these "Professional" paintball players began doing research in how to "beat the marker", working with manufactuers to develop clothing that would make a ball that hit them bounce off or slide off... because in paintball... even if your hit dead on, if it doesnt leave paint... it doesnt count. Now... no anti paintball technology is foolproof... so next they started developing cheating strategies, from high complex to simple wiping....

When winning is the most important thing... people tend to let honor slide.

I believe that is what he means. As far as I know... there are no "Professional Airsofters" (The word professional means you get paid for it) There are those airsofters however who act and function in a professional manner... which is a completely different thing.

Airsoft seems to be overtaking paintball in my area, but as a whole, I'm sure paintball still reigns supreme. I myself am an old paintball player, and used to be playing airsoft and paintball simultaneously. Then I factored in the cost of paintball and airsoft, along with the mess and more hazardous play of paintball, I decided to stop paintball and start airsoft.

Airsoft has many leads on paintball, some being: the look of the guns, cost of ammo, and cost of guns. It will surely be a while until airsoft overtakes paintball, if ever.

Exactly what I meant. So the question becomes whether we even want airsoft to overtake paintball.



That's what scares me the most. If airsoft ever does become more popular, you end up risking it becoming yet another derivative of paintball. Having corporate sponspors turning our beloved sport (or hobby) into just another meaningless, money-driven competition. It's undoubtedly inevitable. As it becomes increasingly more popular, there will be a new market for competitions that someone is bound to fill (hooray for capitalism...). And once that happens, we'll have another repeat of paintball.

At that point, you might as well sell your airsoft guns and save up money for the next mil-sim innovation, whatever it may be.

That will be the TRUE death of airsoft. The masses will ruin it. But not to worry. We airsofters are a mere speck compared to the amount of paintballers.


On a related sidenote, does anyone know how Japan deals with this situation? Do they have nation-wide competitions?

This post has been edited by Predator: Jan 20 2006, 09:43 PM

japan is probably no different from the US.

I really think that airsoft COULD work as a competition though. IF there was a way to mark hits, like with referees and such. Somehow I think it would be interesting to see airsoft played like CS. I'm not kidding either.

I disagree that paintballs will never have a place in airsoft. I think if someone could make a good quality paintball that could stand up to being use in an airsoft gun and not cause any problems, I think a lot of folks would use them. Otherwise, why else would there be so many folks trying to make a good paintball for airsoft?
I’ve also firmly believed that if someone were to make a good MILES system that doesn’t change the looks of a weapon and the sensors could be worn under the clothes, folks would use that too.

but this sort of makes it not really airsoft then doesn't it? No more bbs and such, it's just different. Or am I totally wrong?