Asylum Paintball: Difference between revisions

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

Asylum has hosted events associated with the New Zealand Paintball Players League (NZPPL), South Auckland Paintball Club (SAPC), Auckland Paintball Cup and other domestic competitions. The venue has also been used for training by local tournament teams and for recreational and scenario paintball.

History

Kingseat Hospital

Asylum Paintball occupies buildings and land formerly used by Kingseat Hospital, a psychiatric institution that operated between 1932 and 1999. The hospital complex included wards, administrative buildings, recreational facilities and a maximum-security area.

Following the hospital's closure, parts of the complex were adapted for commercial and recreational uses. The former maximum-security buildings subsequently became the setting for Asylum Paintball's indoor playing areas.

The reuse of the buildings was documented in March 2014 by the paranormal research organisation Haunted Auckland, which reported on the former maximum-security building and its occupation by Asylum Paintball.[1]

The hospital setting influenced the venue's name and the development of its themed indoor paintball environments.

Establishment

Asylum Paintball began development at Kingseat in 2012. A historical description of the business states that it took over a lease on part of the former hospital grounds that year and began converting the site into a paintball park.[2]

Early development included a tournament playing field constructed on the former hospital sports pitch and recreational playing areas within and around the former maximum-security buildings.

The facility combined outdoor paintball with close-quarters games inside existing structures. This allowed recreational games and tournament training to take place at the same venue.

The company's LinkedIn profile records 2013 as its founding year, while historical descriptions identify 2012 as the beginning of site development.[3]

Management and early development

Vitaly Miheev was closely associated with Asylum's establishment and early operation. In a 2015 article published by paintball equipment manufacturer DYE Precision, Miheev was identified as the owner and operator of Asylum Paintball.[4]

Miheev had previously been involved in the Auckland tournament paintball community.

Michael Earley was also involved in Asylum's early activities. A March 2014 press release concerning the New Zealand Paintball Players League identified Earley as a spokesperson for the venue.[5]

Asylum subsequently expanded its recreational offerings while continuing to provide tournament facilities. Its activities included private group bookings, birthday parties, corporate events, recreational paintball and competitive training.

Development of the playing fields

Asylum's initial playing environments made use of the former hospital buildings and surrounding grounds.

The indoor playing facilities were developed within the former maximum-security area, providing corridors, rooms and enclosed spaces suitable for close-quarters paintball. Outdoor recreational fields incorporated purpose-built obstacles and themed environments.

The tournament field was developed on the former hospital sports pitch and used inflatable bunkers for competitive paintball.

Later descriptions of the venue advertised dedicated Sup'Air tournament fields, indoor close-quarters playing areas and additional outdoor recreational arenas.[2][3]

Tournament paintball

Asylum Paintball became a venue for Auckland and national tournament paintball during the 2010s. Its tournament facilities hosted competitions organised by the New Zealand Paintball Players League, South Auckland Paintball Club and other event organisers.

The venue also provided training opportunities for Auckland-based competitive teams, including teams participating in domestic and international competitions.

2013 New Zealand Paintball Players League

Asylum hosted the final event of the 2013 New Zealand Paintball Players League season.

The tournament brought together leading New Zealand paintball teams and formed the conclusion of the league's season.

The event was won by KC Damage, with Wellington Vendetta finishing second and X-Fighter$ Fracture third.[5]

The overall 2013 NZPPL championship was won by X-Fighter$, which recorded two event victories and a third-place finish over the course of the season.[5]

The final was filmed by Blacksheep Media, a New Zealand paintball photography and video production organisation led by Tony Dickson.

In March 2014, Blacksheep Communications published a press release announcing the release of tournament footage. The article also discussed the growth of organised paintball competition in New Zealand and plans for the following season.[5]

2014 New Zealand Paintball Players League

Asylum continued hosting NZPPL competitions during the 2014 season.

The league's published calendar included an Auckland event on 30–31 August and the International Pacific Championship on 25–26 October 2014.[5][6]

The August event included Pro X-Ball competition. ADHD won the recorded Pro X-Ball division, with other participating teams including Trauma, The Wild Bunch, Kamikaze Knights, Low Gear and Mischief Militia.[7]

The October International Pacific Championship included competitors from New Zealand, Australia and French Polynesia.

The recorded Division 1 X-Ball standings were:

2014 NZPPL International Pacific Championship – Division 1 X-Ball
Position	Team	Country
1	Trauma	New Zealand
2	Legacy NZ	New Zealand
3	Kamikaze Knights	New Zealand
4	Phoenix Tahiti	French Polynesia
5	South East Cartel	Australia
6	Low Gear	New Zealand
7	Mischief Militia	New Zealand
8	CamoMeat	New Zealand

The results are preserved in the NZPPL's 2014 season standings on PBLeagues.[7]

The participation of overseas teams reflected the league's efforts to develop international competition in the region.

South Auckland Paintball Club

Asylum was the home venue of the South Auckland Paintball Club (SAPC), an incorporated club established in 2013.

SAPC organised regular tournament competitions at the venue, providing opportunities for Auckland teams to compete in a structured local series.

The SAPC Race Series operated during 2014 and 2015, with event schedules and results preserved in the PBLeagues tournament database.[8][9]

Although SAPC competitions took place at Asylum, the club and the commercial paintball venue were separate organisations.

2014 SAPC Race Series

The 2014 SAPC competition calendar included four events:

Event	Dates
SAPC February Race #1	8–9 February 2014
SAPC May Race #2	3–4 May 2014
SAPC July Race #3	12–13 July 2014
SAPC September Race #4	27–28 September 2014

The events featured Open X-Ball and mechanical pump competitions.

The ADHD team won all four Open X-Ball events and finished first in the season standings with 400 ranking points. Disposal Unit finished second with 314.5 points and Tempest third with 229 points.[8]

In Mechanical Pump Division 4, ADHD RED won the season standings ahead of OFF and One Shot Bro.[8]

The series provided regular competition opportunities for established tournament teams and players participating in mechanical pump divisions.

2015 SAPC Race Series

SAPC continued its tournament series in 2015, with events held in January–February, April, June and August.

Event	Dates
SAPC D4 & Open Event #1	31 January – 1 February 2015
SAPC D4 & Open Event #2	11–12 April 2015
SAPC D4 & Open Event #3	13–14 June 2015
SAPC D4 & Open Event #4	1–2 August 2015

Auckland Faction won the 2015 Open X-Ball season standings, ahead of Addicted and ADHD.[9]

In Mechanical Pump Division 4, Detachment finished first, followed by Kaos Theory and Mind Mechanics.[9]

Auckland Paintball Cup

Asylum hosted the Auckland Paintball Cup on 7–8 March 2015.

The event included an Open X-Ball competition, with teams drawn from the Auckland tournament community. The results are recorded in the PBLeagues event histories of participating teams.[10]

A further Auckland Paintball Cup was held on 16–17 April 2016, with ADHD recording third place among eight teams in Division 2 X-Ball.[10]

Asylum Paintball Cup

The Asylum Paintball Cup was a tournament competition associated with the venue.

PBLeagues records an Asylum Paintball Cup event on 26–27 September 2015, including Open X-Ball participation by ADHD and other teams.[10]

The event formed part of a broader Auckland competitive calendar that included SAPC Race Series events, NZPPL competitions and independent tournaments.

International participation

Asylum's tournament activities were connected to the wider Asia-Pacific paintball community.

The 2014 NZPPL International Pacific Championship included teams from French Polynesia and Australia alongside New Zealand competitors.[7]

The Auckland team ADHD, which listed Asylum Paintball as its home field on PBLeagues, also competed internationally at the 2014 Paintball World Cup Asia in Malaysia.[10]

These activities connected local tournament training and competition with international events in the Asia-Pacific region.

Later tournaments

Asylum continued to be associated with competitive paintball following the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

In September 2025, an event advertisement listed the venue as the location for the fourth event in a three-man tournament series.[11]

The venue has also been associated with scenario and recreational events, including activities advertised under the Armageddon name.[12]

Facilities

Asylum Paintball occupies part of the former Kingseat Hospital complex at 833 Kingseat Road, Kingseat, Karaka.

The venue combines indoor playing areas within former hospital buildings with outdoor recreational fields and purpose-built tournament facilities.

Lockdown Ward

The Lockdown Ward is an indoor close-quarters playing environment developed within the former maximum-security area of Kingseat Hospital.

The field makes use of the existing building layout, including internal rooms, corridors and enclosed spaces.

The Lockdown Ward was among the venue's original playing areas and was specifically mentioned in historical descriptions of Asylum's early development.[2]

Tyre Mania

Tyre Mania is an outdoor recreational field incorporating tyres and other obstacles.

The playing area was developed as part of Asylum's initial recreational facilities and was included in historical descriptions of the venue.[2]

Tournament fields

Asylum developed outdoor tournament paintball facilities using inflatable Sup'Air bunkers.

The original tournament field was built on the former Kingseat Hospital sports pitch. Its layout could be configured for competitive events and training.

Later business descriptions advertised two dedicated tournament fields, supporting local competitions and team practice.[3]

The tournament facilities were used by SAPC, the NZPPL and other organisers during the 2010s.

Other recreational facilities

Asylum also offered outdoor recreational playing areas and facilities for private group bookings.

The combination of former hospital buildings and outdoor grounds supported different playing styles, including close-quarters games, recreational paintball and tournament competition.

The business advertised activities for birthday parties, corporate groups, social events and other private bookings.

Historical promotional materials also emphasised the venue's ability to operate in wet weather because of its indoor playing facilities.[2]

Location

Asylum Paintball is situated at 833 Kingseat Road, Kingseat, in the Karaka area south of Auckland.

The paintball facilities occupy former hospital buildings and adjacent grounds associated with the Kingseat Hospital complex.

Other parts of the former hospital grounds have been used for different commercial and recreational activities, including the Spookers haunted attraction.

Asylum's use of former psychiatric hospital buildings became a distinctive feature of its identity and recreational game environments.

Relationship with Auckland paintball

Asylum was one of the Auckland venues providing both commercial recreational paintball and facilities for tournament players during the 2010s.

Through the South Auckland Paintball Club Race Series, NZPPL events and independent competitions, the facility contributed to the regional tournament calendar.

It was associated with teams including ADHD, Auckland Faction, CamoMeat and other participants in the Auckland competitive paintball scene.

The venue also maintained connections with paintball equipment manufacturers and international players through its management, competitive events and tournament activities.

Its combination of indoor recreational paintball, outdoor fields and inflatable-bunker tournament facilities brought several forms of paintball together at the former Kingseat Hospital site.

References

Kingseat Maximum Security. Haunted Auckland, 22 March 2014.
Asylum Paintball. GrabOne New Zealand. Historical operator description of the site and its development.
Asylum Paintball. LinkedIn, company profile.
Hard2Overcome Heads to New Zealand. DYE Paintball, 2015.
Blacksheep Media Release 2013 NZPPL Video. Scoop Independent News, 16 March 2014.
New Zealand Paintball Players League – Events. PBLeagues.
New Zealand Paintball Players League – 2014 Season Rankings. PBLeagues.
South Auckland Paintball Club – 2014 Season Rankings. PBLeagues.
South Auckland Paintball Club – 2015 Season Rankings. PBLeagues.
ADHD – Team Event History. PBLeagues.
3 Man Tournament Series Event #4. AllEvents, September 2025.
Asylum Paintball. Historical social-media updates, LocalGymsAndFitness.
Asylum Paintball. Tourism New Zealand.
Asylum Paintball – Kingseat. Citizens Advice Bureau.

External links