The Strange State of Airsoft

Operation Black Jack @ Fort Knox Paintball, 2016

Welcome everyone! Airsoft Experia is a Field Finder first and foremost, but I also want to have a place to promote interesting discussion about our favorite sport. Today's topic is something that I have been thinking about since returning to Airsoft in 2024.

Airsoft in online spaces has changed significantly. Gone are the days of many up and coming Youtubers making airsoft content that gets a couple million views. Mr. Beast and Dude Perfect no longer visit fields in SoCal to play airsoft Battle Royales. While there sre content creators on the platform doing well for themselves, WAG Entertainment and Airsoft Alfonse come to mind, many channels I used to watch are down to sub 10,000 views per video.

Airsoft on other social platforms is in a similar state. Facebook still houses many Groups for local and regional players, however actual posts hardly break a couple hundred likes. Instagram is actively waging war on the Airsoft community, anything related to airsoft is often found to be difficult for people to find unless it someone you actively follow. USAirsoft did a fantastic video on this topic a while back related to how YouTube interacts with airsoft content, but I think it applies to all forms of social media.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD-Nzl8NBuE)

So why is this? I do have a handful of theories. First off, Airsoft is heavily related to the firearms industry, which has also seen its fair share of issues with removed and suppressed content. YouTube changed its firearms policy recently to not allow most instances of full auto shooting. Instagram has similar policies. While Airsoft is very different then real firearms, the similarity is enough that some AI and content algorithms flag Airsoft content as Firearms.

Another issue is a lack of community engagement online. I think just in general, Airsoft is being talked about less in these spaces. Whether that is from lack of interest, or lack of being shown Airsoft specific content is unclear; but due to a point I'll make in a moment, I tend to think it's the latter. I was in a discussion with a fellow veteran of the sport, and I made the point that Airsoft feels dormant right now, like the interest is there, but the discussion hasn't picked up around it yet.

While these issues may be in place, There is one huge change that tears my previous theories to shreds. People have been showing up to fields and events in droves. While some sites struggle in lower population states, I would say most fields across the US that are very intentional about running excellent open plays and events are seeing great turnouts. Even here in Indiana, I've seen more people show up to regular open plays then ever before. Even new players are not hard to find, despite what you see online might tell you.

So you see the strange state the Airsoft sits in right now, Content is down, but engagement at the field is up. So what gives? I think Word-Of-Mouth and the quality of locally run fields is what is helping to grow Airsoft. Many long time players are coming back to the sport, like myself, and bringing our friends around who never got to experience airsoft before. Airsoft fields are bigger and better then the ever have been, long gone are the days of woodsball in your friends backyard. Event Organizers now run games for all types of players, from the Hardcore like Milsim West, to the RPG focused like Gun Gamers upcoming Pnath Underworld game. These things are all very well thought and designed, and I think that helps spread the word to a new audience.

So what is the solution? Certainly there should be some middle ground between having a solid engagement on content and the word of mouth that drives most human interaction. I think it is two fold. Firstly, I think content has to evolve. While some airsoft unboxing and reviews are doing okay, like the style that Wag Entertainment makes, I feel like this content is not as necessary as it once was. Instead, content that tells a story does a good job of displaying how it feels to be on the field, and shows off the replicas that would once be in those reviews in a more engaging way. I really like the style Mustard Tactical has taken with some of his videos, blending classic airsoft gameplay with an almost Video Essay style commentary.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YuQyg9W6c8)

Secondly, I think the Airsoft community needs to band together to bring these spaces back. I don't mean that we need to abandon traditional Social Media and flock back to the forums, but in general the community needs some of us veterans to come around and make resources to help new players learn and grow. Part of my reasoning for starting this website was how disjointed and clunky finding a new field to play at was. Resources like this are what the airsoft community needs to bring everyone into common social hubs.

So that is the strange state in Airsoft. In summary, I think content may need to change to skirt some restrictions, but also to engage a new era of audiences. And I think veterans of the hobby need to step up and take a role in helping the community in anyway they can. Also, Word-Of-Mouth can only help us grow the sport, as it always has. Let me know your thoughts everyone, and I look forward to this discussion and the ones we will have in the future. See you next week!