You can engage in paintball in any location where it is safe, and where property will not be damaged by stray paintballs. This makes places to play abundant. Much of the fun of paintball is the variety of the location in which people can engage each other. Often there are even pay-per-play or pay-per-hour clubs and arenas where you meet others to play.

Generally, paintball is played on two types of battlefields: indoor or outdoor.

Fields and Forests
Outdoor fields are the most common battlefields. They are usually the simplest to find, and require no cleanup. Fields often can include a river or creek; steep valleys; or other obvious obstacles. Game boundaries should be established before the onset of the game.

Games in the woods usually require a different skill set than those developed in the indoor arenas. Dense brush can often break up paintballs in mid flight, even though line of sight is obvious. Outdoor games tend to stress stealth, and camouflage. Also, since fields are generally larger and sight more obstructed, this generally lends to flanking strategies.

Concept Fields
Concept fields, also known as scenario fields, are usually provided by commercial establishments. Fields can feature bunkers, old vehicles, fake buildings, castles, towers, etc.. Themes can also vary, including medieval, futuristic, urban assault, and terrorist/counter terrorist settings. The variety of concept fields is as vast as the people who construct them.

Concept fields help to create realism, leading to a more immersive game. Often the obstacles can completely turn the tides of the fight, so one usually must learn to work each concept field to their advantage. Thus, simple variation in the field can vastly change the style and pace of gameplay. This adds to the overall Paintball experience.

Indoor arenas are generally smaller than the outdoor fields of play. Arenas often have soft or sand covered ground, to make diving and sliding for cover a possibility.

Overall, indoor paintball is generally a higher paced game with more emphasis on pack movement, position, team coordination, and speed.

Arenas are usually very similar to the outdoor concept fields. Similarities exist mainly between themes, and types of obstacles. However, combat in smaller quarters leads to a very different kind of game. In good arenas, each bunker will provide cover from several angels while being vulnerable from others. This forces both teams to adapt based on the positions of others, and keeps the pace of the game high.