People have been playing paintball in various forms since the early 70’s. Paintball was originally called "The National Survival Game." The first game was played in 1981 on a field measuring over 100 acres, in Henniker, New Hampshire. The military and law enforcement agencies have been using paintball games as combat training for many years.

The paintball gun was originally used as a tool for marking trees and livestock. It was invented and patented by James Hale in 1970.

The first outdoor commercial paintball field began in 1982, in Rochester, New York. The first indoor field opened in 1984, in Buffalo, New York. Today, there are both indoor and outdoor paintball fields all over the world.

The first professional paintball tournament was held in 1983. Today, there are many major tournaments, with hundred thousand dollar prizes. In 1988, The International Paintball Players Association (IPPA) was founded. The association’s mission was to promote education, growth, and safety of paintball. The National Professional Paintball League(NPPL) was founded in 1993, and the NPPL Pro Am series began that same year.

Paintball has evolved into a structured sport, with millions of players worldwide. The sports popularity has grown faster than any other sport in history. There are many different variations of game play and playing fields. The most common variation of game play is an advanced version of "Capture The Flag."