Asylum Paintball

Asylum Paintball is a paintball venue located at the former Kingseat Hospital in Karaka, south of Auckland, New Zealand. Established in the early 2010s, the facility occupies part of the former psychiatric hospital grounds at 833 Kingseat Road and offers recreational, scenario and tournament paintball.

Asylum has hosted events associated with the New Zealand Paintball Players League (NZPPL), South Auckland Paintball Club (SAPC) and other domestic competitions. Its facilities include indoor playing areas within former hospital buildings and outdoor tournament fields using inflatable bunkers.

History

Establishment

Asylum Paintball was developed at the former Kingseat Hospital, a psychiatric institution that operated from 1932 until 1999. The complex's former maximum-security buildings provided an unusual setting for an indoor paintball facility.

According to a historical business description, Asylum took over a lease at Kingseat in 2012 and began developing the grounds for paintball. The initial development included a tournament field on a former sports pitch and indoor and outdoor recreational playing areas.<ref name="GrabOne">"Asylum Paintball", GrabOne New Zealand. Historical business and facility description.</ref>

A 2014 account by the paranormal investigation group Haunted Auckland described Asylum as the new leaseholder of the former maximum-security building, documenting the reuse of part of the former hospital complex.<ref>"Kingseat Maximum Security", Haunted Auckland, 22 March 2014.</ref>

The company's LinkedIn profile gives 2013 as its founding year. This differs from the reported 2012 lease commencement and may reflect the beginning of commercial operations rather than the initial development of the site.<ref>"Asylum Paintball", LinkedIn.</ref>

Management

Vitaly Miheev was associated with the establishment and operation of Asylum Paintball. A 2015 account published by paintball equipment manufacturer DYE Paintball identified Miheev as the owner and operator of the venue.<ref>"Hard2Overcome Heads to New Zealand", DYE Paintball, 2015.</ref>

Michael Earley was also involved in the business during its early years. A March 2014 press release concerning the New Zealand Paintball Players League identified Earley as a spokesperson for Asylum Paintball.<ref name="Scoop2014">Blacksheep Communications (16 March 2014). "Blacksheep Media Release 2013 NZPPL Video". Scoop Independent News.</ref>

Development

Asylum developed a combination of indoor and outdoor playing facilities, including tournament fields, themed recreational arenas and close-quarters environments inside the former hospital buildings.

The venue's recreational fields included the Lockdown Ward, located within the former hospital facilities, and Tyre Mania, an outdoor field incorporating vehicle tyres and other obstacles. Separate tournament fields used inflatable bunkers associated with competitive paintball.<ref name="GrabOne"/>

The business subsequently advertised two dedicated Sup'Air tournament fields, indoor close-quarters areas and facilities for social games, corporate events and private functions.<ref>"Asylum Paintball", LinkedIn, company description.</ref>

Tournament paintball

Asylum became a venue for competitive paintball in the Auckland region during the 2010s, hosting tournaments and providing training facilities for local teams.

2013 NZPPL season

The final event of the 2013 New Zealand Paintball Players League season was held at Asylum Paintball.

The tournament was won by KC Damage, with Wellington Vendetta finishing second and X-Fighter$ Fracture third. X-Fighter$ won the overall season championship, having recorded two event victories and a third-place finish during the series.<ref name="Scoop2014"/>

The event was filmed by Blacksheep Media, a New Zealand paintball photography and videography group led by Tony Dickson. Footage of the tournament was released in March 2014.<ref name="Scoop2014"/>

2014 competitions

Asylum hosted events associated with the South Auckland Paintball Club and New Zealand Paintball Players League during 2014.

The NZPPL's published schedule included Auckland events at Asylum on 30–31 August and the International Pacific Championship on 25–26 October 2014.<ref name="Scoop2014"/>

The International Pacific Championship brought together New Zealand and overseas teams, including competitors from French Polynesia. Contemporary results and season standings are preserved in the PBLeagues database.<ref>"NZPPL 2014 Season Rankings", PBLeagues.</ref>

2015 competitions

Asylum continued hosting tournament paintball during 2015, including events in the South Auckland Paintball Club series and the Asylum Paintball Cup.

The PBLeagues results database records SAPC Open X-Ball and Mechanical Pump Division 4 competitions during the season.<ref>"SAPC 2015 Season Rankings", PBLeagues.</ref>

The venue hosted the Auckland Paintball Cup on 7–8 March 2015 and the Asylum Paintball Cup on 26–27 September 2015. Both events appear in the competition histories of participating teams.<ref>"ADHD Team Results", PBLeagues.</ref>

Later events

Asylum remained involved in tournament paintball beyond the mid-2010s. In September 2025, the venue advertised the fourth event of a local three-man tournament series.<ref>"3 Man Tournament Series Event #4", AllEvents, 20 September 2025.</ref>

The facility has also hosted recreational scenario events, including the multi-day Armageddon series.<ref>"Asylum Paintball", LocalGymsAndFitness, archived business social-media updates.</ref>

Facilities

Asylum Paintball operates at villas 10 and 16 of the former Kingseat Hospital complex, at 833 Kingseat Road, Karaka.

Its principal playing environments include:

Lockdown Ward – an indoor close-quarters playing area within former hospital buildings.
Tyre Mania – an outdoor arena incorporating tyres and other obstacles.
Tournament fields – outdoor fields using inflatable bunkers for competitive paintball.
Other themed recreational areas – spaces developed for private games and group bookings.

The use of both existing buildings and outdoor playing fields allows the venue to offer several different forms of paintball at the same site.<ref>"Asylum Paintball", Tourism New Zealand.</ref>

The facility is also associated with the South Auckland Paintball Club. The Citizens Advice Bureau directory identifies Asylum as the club's home venue.<ref>"Asylum Paintball – Kingseat", Citizens Advice Bureau, checked 29 April 2026.</ref>

Location

Asylum Paintball is located at 833 Kingseat Road in Kingseat, Karaka, approximately 35 minutes by road from central Auckland. Its facilities occupy part of the former Kingseat psychiatric hospital, near the Spookers haunted attraction.

The original hospital setting has been a central element of the paintball venue's identity since its establishment.

References

External links