Editing Paintball video game

A '''paintball video game''' is a video game based on the sport of [[paintball]]. Examples range from simulations of organised tournament play to arcade-style games using paintball equipment and objectives. They include commercial console releases, independent computer games and modifications of existing games.[1][2][3]

== Gameplay ==
Paintball video games commonly use a first-person perspective, with players shooting virtual [[paintball marker]]s and moving between bunkers or other cover. Depending on the title, play can include [[speedball]], [[woodsball]], recreational games, team management and multiplayer competition.[1][4]

Some games reproduce particular aspects of tournament play. ''[[Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball MAX'D]]'' includes a breakout-planning system for assigning teammates' opening movements and shooting targets. ''[[Infinite Tournament Paintball]]'' includes [[X-Ball]] gameplay, switching the marker between hands, snapshooting, sliding and diving.[3][5]

Other games take a less realistic approach. ''Digital Paint: Paintball 2'' combines single-hit eliminations and team objectives with fast movement and jumping derived from ''Quake II''.[2]

== Development ==

=== Early computer games and modifications ===
''[[Extreme Paintbrawl]]'' was released for personal computers in 1998 and was followed by several sequels.[6]

Paintball also became a subject for community-created modifications. ''[[Digital Paintball]]'', a multiplayer modification for ''Half-Life'', had a release announced in September 2002. The separate ''Digital Paint: Paintball 2'' project offers a free paintball-themed game using Quake II-style movement.[2][7]

=== Greg Hastings series ===
''[[Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball]]'' was released for Xbox in 2004. Its follow-up, ''[[Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball MAX'D]]'', appeared in 2005 and expanded the series with breakout planning, a field editor and split-screen play.[5]

''[[Greg Hastings Paintball 2]]'' followed on Xbox 360 and Wii in 2010, with a PlayStation 3 edition released in 2011. It included separate tournament speedball, recreational paintball and tournament woodsball branches, alongside team management.[4][8]

=== Licensed tournament games ===
Activision released ''[[NPPL Championship Paintball 2009]]'' in 2008 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Wii. The game included licensed equipment and tournament locations and layouts associated with the [[National Professional Paintball League]], [[Millennium Series]] and [[Xtreme Paintball Sports League]].[1]

=== Independent games ===
''[[Infinite Tournament Paintball]]'', developed and published by FiveTwo Games, was released on Steam in August 2020. It focuses on tournament paintball and includes online competition, computer-controlled opponents and fields modelled on real layouts.[3]

== Connections with paintball ==
Several games feature real players, equipment or venues. ''MAX'D'' included [[Greg Hastings]], [[Keely Watson]] and [[Chris LaSoya]], while ''NPPL Championship Paintball 2009'' received design contributions from [[San Diego Dynasty]] and [[Bob Long]].[1][5]

Developers have also used direct experience of the sport. Super X Studios reported attending tournament and woodsball events and taking its staff to play paintball while developing ''Greg Hastings Paintball 2''.[9]

== See also ==
* [[Greg Hastings]]
* [[Paintball media]]
* [[Speedball]]
* [[Woodsball]]

== References ==
# [https://investor.activision.com/news-releases/news-release-details/activision-publishing-redefines-competitive-first-person-action Activision Publishing Redefines Competitive First Person Action With the Release of NPPL Championship Paintball 2009]. Activision, 25 November 2008.
# [https://digitalpaint.org/ Digital Paint: Paintball 2]. Official project website.
# [https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341160/Infinite_Tournament_Paintball/ Infinite Tournament Paintball]. FiveTwo Games, Steam product page.
# [https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/majesco-entertainment-announces-the-shipment-of-greg-hastings-paintball-2-for-xbox-360-and-wii-103925658.html Majesco Entertainment Announces the Shipment of Greg Hastings Paintball 2 for Xbox 360 and Wii]. Majesco Entertainment, 28 September 2010.
# [https://investor.activision.com/static-files/b7260b33-d6f5-4606-a04c-be10f3b8931c Activision's Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball MAX'D Burns a Lane into Retail Stores Nationwide]. Activision, 18 October 2005.
# [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/games/franchise/73-extreme-paintbrawl Extreme Paintbrawl series]. GameFAQs.
# [https://www.moddb.com/mods/digital-paintball/news/release RELEASE!]. Digital Paintball development announcement, ModDB, 19 September 2002.
# [https://blog.playstation.com/2011/06/14/playstation-store-update-191/ PlayStation Store Update]. PlayStation Blog, 14 June 2011.
# [https://coffeewithgames.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/fps-friday-feature-interview-greg-hastings-paintball-2-part-i/ Feature Interview: Greg Hastings Paintball 2, Part I]. CoffeeWithGames, interview with James Thrush, 16 April 2011.

[[Category:Paintball video games]]
[[Category:Paintball media]]