Brunei’s sole authorised Paintball facility in Jerudong has more than doubled its monthly players to 800 by cutting prices up to 40% since reopening last July after COVID-19 restrictions eased.
Head of Paintball Arena Amar Agus Din said the majority of customers are trying paintball for the first time, with continuing outbound travel restrictions encouraging residents to seek out new recreational activities.
Paintball’s mainstream appeal has been relatively niche since the facility opened 2013, drawing some 300 to 400 players a month prior to the COVID-19 pandemic which saw it close in March last year.
“We’ve had a slew of people who have never played paintball give us a try. Recently, we organised an all-female day where we had 50 women try out paintball; we’ve seen some comeback after that experience,” said Amar.
Paintball Arena revised their base packages when they reopened: $20 per person which comes with a paintball marker (gun), facemask, chest protector and 150 pellets, and a $15 student package which comes with 100 pellets and the same provisions.
The paintball facility has three arenas: two for recreational players spanning 48 metres by 38 metres and a third for competitive team training. They also provide services to store, care and maintain personal paintball equipment for competitive teams.
Arena One is an urban setting which simulates environment with windows and doorways; suitable for close-quarters shooting and “capture the flag” – a mode where teams compete to retrieve a flag to their base.
Arena Two is the speedball arena which geared towards a tournament setting; the arena is set up with simple solid shapes and more open spaces – suitable for quick elimination or a last-man-standing format.
Royal Brunei Technical Services’ vision for the Paintball Arena is to offer the safest, most affordable paintball experience in Borneo.
“Paintball is an extreme sport that does not involve any physical contact; we have the expertise in making sure that every game is conducted safely while also providing the most affordable experience in Borneo,” added Amar.
