Paintball is a team shooting sport in which players eliminate opponents from play by hitting them with spherical dye-filled gelatin capsules that break upon impact. The game is played on a field that may be wild open land or designed for the purpose, such as a paintball park. Players are generally divided into teams using armbands or simply placed on opposite ends of the field. Once a referee calls the game on, players must complete the objective of the game while eliminating opponents. Players who have been hit with a paintball that breaks and leaves color on them are considered out and must leave the field of play, usually to a dead area located behind a protective net or other cover.
The paintball industry has grown rapidly since its emergence from the faddish extreme sport of the 1980s into a multi-million dollar global enterprise. Today, the sport is available in many recreational centers and is increasingly incorporated into outdoor adventure activities. Paintball equipment and supplies can be found in sports stores, specialty retailers, and even some large chain department stores.
Those who participate in paintball are called “players”. They are usually required to wear a mask and load their weapon (marker) with a fixed number of rounds, which is known as a hopper. The markers are equipped with a small tank that holds the paintballs, which is connected to the marker via a feed tube. The hopper is usually translucent, so that players can see how much paint is left.