i'll toss in my 2 cents...
i don't think paintball is currently on the decline, if anything, its stabilized a bit. i think we'd notice if it was still declining.
i think the answers to keeping paintball alive and healthy are simple. i think ideas like mag-fed 50 cal competitions, ranked play, social media apps are not really the answer to drawing people in and keeping them playing (no offense to anyone).
i think the industry as a whole has reluctantly moved towards some obvious solutions: mech/capped bps play that reduces overshooting and encourages movement, more reliable/easy to service equipment. i think fields need to go along with this movement towards a more fun, playable game: enforce bps caps, chrono OFTEN so no one is tempted to shoot hot, keep equipment extra clean and running as intended and toss old stuff that barely works, hire active refs that keep an eye on how players are doing. that may cost money, but so be it: that's what the game needs and the cost will reflect that.
if the "bowling alley" model is what we're working with, and i think it is, then we need to ensure a kid that's using a rental 98 and field mask isn't at a massive disadvantage; paintball has failed to do that for so long now.
paintball is still a part of our popular culture and imagination. seems like every TV show has had a paintball episode, no matter how inaccurate it may be. so the inherent appeal is still there in our increasingly digital world. paintballs are real, tangible projectiles that hit you with a thwack, then explode and clearly mark you. that is a great thing, its why we love the sport, and it should be seen as a competitive advantage! we shouldn't shy away or apologize for it. it differentiates paintball from video games, tactical laser tag, nerf guns, all that bs.
finally, i think we should cede the whole tacticool / cringy pretend military market to airsoft. yes, i realize the implications of what i am saying. the reasons why are:
1. we have already lost in this space, and to put energy into a war we have already lost is a waste of time and resources.
2. airsoft, with its hard, tiny bbs, is better suited to engineering fake firearms anyway. delicate gelatin-capsule balls that take up a lot of space won't work as well.
3. there shouldn't be subdivisions in an already niche sport as paintball. i don't see mag-fed/milsim only games as a good thing; that's excluding paintballers from your game. bring your mag-fed marker if you want, but don't tell me to go home because i'm using a hopper.
finally, i can't speak on the industry side of things, but the industry players should definitely make it as easy on local fields/shops as possible. the industry depends on these mom n pop operations for their game to be played.
i don't think paintball is currently on the decline, if anything, its stabilized a bit. i think we'd notice if it was still declining.
i think the answers to keeping paintball alive and healthy are simple. i think ideas like mag-fed 50 cal competitions, ranked play, social media apps are not really the answer to drawing people in and keeping them playing (no offense to anyone).
i think the industry as a whole has reluctantly moved towards some obvious solutions: mech/capped bps play that reduces overshooting and encourages movement, more reliable/easy to service equipment. i think fields need to go along with this movement towards a more fun, playable game: enforce bps caps, chrono OFTEN so no one is tempted to shoot hot, keep equipment extra clean and running as intended and toss old stuff that barely works, hire active refs that keep an eye on how players are doing. that may cost money, but so be it: that's what the game needs and the cost will reflect that.
if the "bowling alley" model is what we're working with, and i think it is, then we need to ensure a kid that's using a rental 98 and field mask isn't at a massive disadvantage; paintball has failed to do that for so long now.
paintball is still a part of our popular culture and imagination. seems like every TV show has had a paintball episode, no matter how inaccurate it may be. so the inherent appeal is still there in our increasingly digital world. paintballs are real, tangible projectiles that hit you with a thwack, then explode and clearly mark you. that is a great thing, its why we love the sport, and it should be seen as a competitive advantage! we shouldn't shy away or apologize for it. it differentiates paintball from video games, tactical laser tag, nerf guns, all that bs.
finally, i think we should cede the whole tacticool / cringy pretend military market to airsoft. yes, i realize the implications of what i am saying. the reasons why are:
1. we have already lost in this space, and to put energy into a war we have already lost is a waste of time and resources.
2. airsoft, with its hard, tiny bbs, is better suited to engineering fake firearms anyway. delicate gelatin-capsule balls that take up a lot of space won't work as well.
3. there shouldn't be subdivisions in an already niche sport as paintball. i don't see mag-fed/milsim only games as a good thing; that's excluding paintballers from your game. bring your mag-fed marker if you want, but don't tell me to go home because i'm using a hopper.
finally, i can't speak on the industry side of things, but the industry players should definitely make it as easy on local fields/shops as possible. the industry depends on these mom n pop operations for their game to be played.
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