THE WORLD BEHIND THE CARDS
IN THE GAME
REAL PLAYERS. REAL TEAMS. REAL BRANDS.
Meet the people, teams and brands that helped shape paintball—and discover how their stories come to life in Paintball Royale.
No results found. Try a different search or filter.
PLAYER
BARRETT, JOE
San Diego Dynasty
Joe Barrett (often wearing jersey #50) is an elite professional paintball player celebrated for his aggressive, world-class playstyle attacking up the center of the field. Currently a prominent force on the legendary team San Diego Dynasty and an international athlete for Team USA Paintball, Barrett is widely recognized as one of the sport's greatest "travel hackers".
THE STORY
Barrett began his paintball journey at age 10 playing casual woodsball. He fell in love with tournament-style speedball after attending a birthday party at Tsunami, an indoor field in Buffalo, New York. To afford his passion, he refereed games in exchange for free paint, eventually progressing through regional leagues like the NYPS, NYPL, and AXBL. [1]
Barrett is highly regarded as an ambassador for the sport. Inspired by a PB2X magazine article he read as a kid about backpackers traveling via paintball tournaments, he structured his entire adult life around the sport to fund his global wandering. He has competed in countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Spain, France, and Colombia.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
Buffalo Joe from Buffalo, NY rides into every match on his legendary Bison, armed with a custom .50 caliber Barrett M82 paintball marker. When Joe's on the field, the competition knows they're facing a force to be reckoned with. His combination of speed, firepower, and precision makes him a feared presence in any game mode. From faction skirmishes to collector showdowns, Joe brings the same intensity that built his reputation as one of the most formidable players in Paintball Royale. You might see some other things of his... like a Passport or Avocado Waffles.
IN THE GAME
Buffalo Joe
Joe's Bison
PERSONALITY
DAVIES, MATT
Matt the Gym Rat / Control
Matt Davies, widely known online as "Matt the Gym Rat" (MTGR), is a prominent paintball content creator, influencer, and competitive player. He has built a massive community across social media, amassing over 1.4 million followers on TikTok and hundreds of thousands of subscribers on YouTube by combining fitness and sport nutrition vlogging with high-energy speedball content.
THE STORY
Matthew Davies, widely known online as Matt the Gym Rat (MTGR), is a 29-year-old professional paintball content creator, influencer, and competitive player. Born on November 28, 1996, Davies grew up in South Carolina, attending Cane Bay High School before graduating from Clemson University.
He successfully pivoted from fitness vlogging to build one of the largest modern digital platforms in the paintball community, boasting over 1.4 million followers on TikTok and nearly 300,000 subscribers on YouTube.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
Matt the Gym Rat commands the Primal Faction—one of our Woodsball heroes who transforms from peak athletic specimen to an unstoppable beast. Watch as raw strength and natural power evolve into something far more formidable on the field.
Gym Rat
IN THE GAME
TEAM
DYNASTY
Dynasty, San Diego
San Diego Dynasty, the most Legendary team in paintball history.
THE STORY
Dynasty, known through the Paintball Industry as 'The Dragon' has always been the legendary beast for a team to defeat.
San Diego Dynasty is an American professional paintball team based in San Diego, California, widely regarded as the most dominant and winningest team in the history of professional tournament paintball. Founded in 2001, the team instantly made its mark by winning the professional World Cup at the end of their inaugural year and has since compiled over 60 major professional tournament first-place finishes and three Triple Crown world championships.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
In Paintball Royale, they are portrayed as the Great Dragon. They are hunted by many, but they are the power house of all cards when played.
Dynasty Logo
Aftershock vs Dynasty
IN THE GAME
The Dragon
PLAYER
GAUDIN, AXEL
TonTon, #LTF
Axel Gaudin is widely considered one of the best paintball players to ever come out of France. Wearing jersey number 91, he serves as a dominant, hyper-aggressive front player—often described as a absolute "savage in the snake" bunker—for the legendary French professional team, TonTon Paintball (TonTon Arsenal).
THE STORY
Axel began playing at a very young age under the guidance of his father and French paintball icon Lionel Pares. He entered the pro league at just 14 years old with the team Vision.
Axel has been a massive catalyst for the TonTons' highly successful return to the United States pro division in Major League Paintball (NXL). He is widely recognized as a statistical powerhouse:
- NXL World Cup: Ranked as the #8 player in the world by Paintball Stats following a dominant World Cup performance, boasting a 164.44 player rating and getting his gun up off the break 96% of the time.
- 2026 Lone Star Open: Finished tied for 8th overall in total eliminations with 38 confirmed kills, leading the prelims kill count and showcasing elite production across gunfights and zone coverage.
- 2026 Mid-Atlantic Open: Anchored another deep Sunday run for the team, finishing tied for 9th overall with 26 confirmed eliminations
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
Axel charges from the Mountains of France on his mighty Furry Goat thing, a force of nature unto himself. With lightning-fast reflexes and devastating leg strength, he strikes before opponents can react. Quick, aggressive, and relentless—Axel is the momentum you need when speed and power decide the match.
IN THE GAME
PLAYER
GREENSPAN, RYAN
San Diego Dynasty
Ryan Greenspan is an American professional paintball player and a founding member of the San Diego Dynasty professional paintball team.
THE STORY
Ryan Greenspan is a legendary American professional paintball player and co-founder of San Diego Dynasty, widely recognized as the most decorated and winningest player in the history of the sport.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
Ryan Greenspan brought the Green Surfer to life—a legendary figure riding the waves of San Diego's coast. A true waterman and athlete, Ryan embodies the spirit of his hero character: fearless, fluid, and forever chasing the next big swell. His natural connection to the ocean and unmatched skill in the water made him the perfect choice to represent the Green faction. When the name Greenspan hit, the hero's identity crystallized. Green Surfer wasn't just a character anymore—it was Ryan's legacy in the game.
Photo credit: MLPB
Credit: Knowhope Photos
The Greensurfer
IN THE GAME
The Greensurfer
BRAND
HORMESIS
Hormesis
Hormesis Paintball (officially Hormesis Attire) is a premium, culture-driven paintball lifestyle brand founded by legendary San Diego Dynasty players Oliver Lang and Alex Fraige. Originally launched in December 2020 with a single run of artisan headbands, Hormesis has exploded into a cult-favorite brand that blends high-performance tournament paintball gear with streetwear aesthetics and traditional craftsmanship.
THE STORY
Hormesis Paintball (officially Hormesis Attire) is a premium, culture-driven paintball lifestyle brand founded by legendary San Diego Dynasty players Oliver Lang and Alex Fraige. Originally launched in December 2020 with a single run of artisan headbands, Hormesis has exploded into a cult-favorite brand that blends high-performance tournament paintball gear with streetwear aesthetics and traditional craftsmanship.
We started playing paintball in the late 90s chasing competition and discovery. Years of travel, practice, and friendships deepened our love for the game. Tournament success brought us together, separation pulled us apart, and our paths converged again for another run of wins. Through it all, we never stopped believing.
Style and superstition were ritual. The gear we wore—lucky shirts, worn headbands—gave us confidence and defined our generation. Looking back through old photo albums and beat-up equipment, we found headbands full of memories and magic. Moments frozen in time, games and moves forever unchanged.
We created Hormesis headbands for players willing to go the distance. Crafted from natural, organic materials with care and attention. A piece to collect your memories, your wins and losses, a reminder that each moment happens only once. Embrace it, give your best, leave nothing behind.
-Oliver Lang and Alex Fraige
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
In Paintball Royale, Hormesis functions as specialized gear that enhances your team with powerful abilities and stat boosts.
Alex Fraige (left) and Oliver Lang (right)
Photo credit: Hormesis website
Hormesis Headband
IN THE GAME
Headband
Maiden's Custom Headband
PLAYER
JENN FULK
Heroines / Team USA
Jenn Fulk is a highly decorated professional paintball athlete, widely regarded as one of the greatest female players of all time. After an incredibly dominant career on the field, she has transitioned into a prominent role as a Major League Paintball commentator, frequently broadcasting alongside Matty Marshall. She retired in 2025, then came back in 2026 to win the Nations Cup Championship.
THE STORY
Fulk uniquely skipped recreational paintball entirely, jumping straight into competitive speedball in 2019. Prior to playing, she spent several years as a paintball photographer. This time behind the lens served as an accidental masterclass, allowing her to intensely study field tactics, positioning, and movement before ever picking up a marker. On the field, she is highly praised for her exceptional body control, clinical calculated play—particularly in the snake—and elite communication skills.
WNXL Dominance: Competing in the Women's National XBall League (WNXL) primarily with The Heroines, she won five out of nine events and achieved an incredible 44-6 overall record before retiring from full-time pro play.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
She is portrayed as a Green Ultra strength Bruiser, who smashes units for fun. She is the finisher you need, at the end of the game to make sure you crush the win. . She is the endgame.
IN THE GAME
PLAYER
LANG, OLIVER
San Diego Dynasty
Oliver "Ollie" Lang is widely regarded as the greatest professional paintball player in the history of the sport. Over a career spanning more than two decades, he has accumulated over 50 professional wins and more than a dozen World Titles.
THE STORY
Oliver "Ollie" Lang is widely regarded as the greatest professional paintball player in the history of the sport. Over a career spanning more than two decades, he has accumulated over 50 professional wins and more than a dozen World Titles.
Lang co-founded San Diego Dynasty in 2002 alongside childhood friends like Ryan Greenspan and Alex Fraige. They became the most dominant professional paintball team in history, racking up a record-shattering number of tournament championships.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
Oliver Lang is in several different Factions, from the Legendary WhiteCloud, the Dragon Rider, to one of the Mech's Ironkid!
IN THE GAME
BRAND
TRAUMAHEAD SPORTZ
Traumahead Sportz is a legendary paintball media production company widely recognized as the pioneer of regular tournament entertainment during the sport's "Golden Era". Founded in 1996 in Raleigh, North Carolina, the company documented the transition of competitive paintball from woodsball to high-stakes, stadium-arena formats.
THE STORY
Between 1997 and 2010, Traumahead produced a staggering 85 core episodes showcasing iconic pro rivalries, though many thousands of hours of raw footage remained unedited in their vaults for years.
The videos are famously narrated and driven by Danny Manning, known to generations of players as "The Voice" of Traumahead.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
Traumahead Sportz delivers explosive action with abilities designed for high-impact replays. Master the art of the perfect shot, with a camera. Build your deck around momentum-shifting plays that turn the tide of battle in your favor.
IN THE GAME
BRAND
WARPIG.COM
WARPIG.com stands for the World And Regional Paintball Information Guide, widely recognized as the internet’s original and oldest website dedicated exclusively to the sport of paintball.
THE STORY
Bill and Dawn Mills are the owners, that still have the site up for you to check out. PigTV was the first web-based paintball television show. On-line since 1997.
Warpig.com was the platform that provided unmatched, extensive archives covering scenario games, major big games, and tournament circuits.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
With a name like Warpig, we have a whole army of Pig riding Warriors.
IN THE GAME
BRAND
WEPNZ
WEPNZ Paintball is a prominent brand in the competitive paintball community, highly recognized for its high-profile gear collaborations and dedicated tournament-grade supplies. Spearheaded by paintball legend Todd Martinez, and later merged with DEFY.
THE STORY
The brand was originally founded by Todd “Cash Money” Martinez. Martinez is an icon in the sport, known for his legendary playing career with powerhouse teams like the Ironkids, Ironmen, Avalanche, San Diego Dynasty, and Chicago Aftershock, as well as his prominent role as the coach of Houston Heat. He also founded Raza, another major custom paintball apparel company.
In February 2025, the paintball manufacturing company DEFY SPORTS officially acquired both WEPNZ and RAZA. This acquisition marked a major shift for the brand, integrating WEPNZ’s custom apparel footprint with Defy's massive infrastructure, including their 17-year-old precision paint factory.
FROM PAINTBALL TO PAINTBALL ROYALE
You will see the WEPNZ of war throughout the series, giving a nod to their awesome Trident Logo among other things.
IN THE GAME
THE STORY KEEPS GROWING.
More players. More teams. More brands. More stories.