Paintball media

Paintball media refers to specialist publications, websites, photography, films, broadcasts and other media devoted to documenting paintball. Since the sport's emergence in 1981, paintball media has covered recreational play, professional tournaments, equipment development, manufacturers, teams, players and the wider paintball industry.

Early coverage appeared in newspapers and general-interest publications before specialist magazines emerged during the 1980s. The development of the internet subsequently introduced online tournament reporting, discussion forums, streaming video and digital magazines.[1][2]

History

Early print publications

The emergence of commercial paintball during the early 1980s created a market for specialist publications.

Early magazines included Frontline, Adventure, Splatter and Action Pursuit Games (APG).

Action Pursuit Games became one of the most widely distributed American paintball magazines, publishing equipment reviews, field information, tournament reports, instructional articles and industry advertising.[1]

Other American publications included Paintball Sports International, Paintball News, Paintball 2Xtremes and Paintball Sports Magazine.

These publications documented the transition from early recreational paintball to organised professional competition.

International publications

Specialist paintball magazines also developed outside the United States.

Paintball Games International (PGI) began publication in the United Kingdom in March 1989.

The magazine developed an international readership and became particularly associated with European tournament coverage, equipment reviews and professional paintball photography.

PGI continued publication until 2008, with issue 233 identified as its final edition.[3]

Other publications included Paintball UK, Germany's Paintball7, and the French magazine XPaint.[1]

In 2001, FACEFULL was launched in France, combining professional tournament reporting with large-format photography, player interviews and equipment features.

The magazine developed an international readership before suspending its original publication in September 2012.[4]

Online paintball journalism

Early internet publications

The development of online services and the World Wide Web changed how paintball information was distributed.

The rec.sport.paintball Usenet newsgroup provided an early forum for discussions concerning equipment, playing fields, tournaments and safety.

WARPIG, originally developed from information collected by Steve Mitchell, became an online paintball resource during the early 1990s.

The project developed into a World Wide Web publication in 1994 and subsequently expanded under Bill Mills and Dawn Mills.[5]

WARPIG provided tournament results, photographs, equipment reviews, technical information and industry news.

Its online reporting enabled players to follow tournament developments without waiting for printed magazine coverage.

Online communities

Internet discussion forums became an important part of paintball media during the late 1990s and 2000s.

Websites including PBNation, Automags.org and M.CarterBrown provided discussion spaces for players, technicians, collectors and other participants.

These communities also preserved information about discontinued equipment, historical teams and regional paintball activity.

Many historical discussions remain useful records of the sport, although personal recollections and forum contributions require independent verification before being treated as established facts.

Digital magazines

Digital publishing created new opportunities for specialist paintball journalism.

Following the decline of several established printed magazines during the late 2000s, publishers increasingly used websites and electronic magazine formats.

In April 2015, journalist John Amodea launched a free digital publication through Paintball Media.

The magazine covered professional tournaments, scenario paintball, magazine-fed paintball, equipment and industry news.[6]

Paintball Media continued publishing regular digital editions during the 2020s. Its December 2025 edition contained 250 pages, including extensive coverage of the Paintball World Cup.[7]

Video and television

Early video coverage

Paintball video production developed alongside professional tournament competition.

WARPIG introduced PigTV in 1997, providing online video coverage of paintball events.

Early programmes included the 1997 Las Vegas tournaments and the 1997 Paintball World Cup.

The videos were distributed using streaming technology suitable for the limited internet connections available at the time.[8]

Television broadcasting

Professional paintball received television coverage during the 2000s.

The United States Paintball Championships were broadcast on ESPN, introducing televised tournament competition to a wider audience.

The broadcasts featured professional players including Oliver Lang, Chris LaSoya and Ryan Greenspan.[9]

In July 2024, the National Xball League announced that professional paintball would return to ESPN through coverage of the NXL Mid-Atlantic Major in Atlantic City.

The professional finals were recorded for an ESPN broadcast scheduled for 4 August 2024.[9]

Internet broadcasting

Internet broadcasting became increasingly important as professional tournament organisers developed dedicated streaming operations.

GoSports produced live coverage of National Xball League tournaments, including professional matches, commentary and on-demand replays.

By 2015, GoSports and Casadonte Productions were using multi-camera production equipment and broadcast graphics for NXL tournament coverage.

A June 2016 industry report documented the production of live NXL broadcasts using multiple cameras, switching equipment and digital recording systems.[10]

GoSports subsequently became the official broadcast partner of Major League Paintball, distributing coverage of NXL and associated competitions.[11]

Photography

Photography has been an important component of paintball journalism since the sport's earliest years.

Specialist photographers have documented tournaments, players, equipment, recreational games and industry events.

Print publications including Paintball Games International and FACEFULL placed particular emphasis on tournament photography.

The development of digital cameras and online publishing subsequently made tournament photographs more widely accessible.

Historical photographic collections remain important sources for identifying players, teams, equipment and playing environments.

Historical preservation

Paintball magazines, tournament photographs, videos and contemporary reporting provide evidence of the sport's development.

These materials are particularly valuable when original tournament websites, team records and manufacturer catalogues are no longer available.

Historical resources include the WARPIG archive, the World Paintball Library, archived magazines and specialist equipment documentation websites.

However, surviving media records are not necessarily complete. Tournament reports may omit participating teams, published photographs may lack identification, and contemporary articles can contain errors.

Historical research therefore benefits from comparing multiple independent sources, particularly original tournament results, contemporary reporting and official organisational records.

References

External links