Competitive Laser Tag

Laser Tag (sometimes referred to as lazer tag) had its beginning in 1984 with the opening of Photon near Dallas, Texas. From the very beginning, some players have taken their laser tag to the next level with competitive play.

As the lazer tag industry has grown and shrank, competitive players have remained constant on the scene. Almost every brand of laser tag with more than twenty sites has held tournaments, leagues and other competitive play opportunities.

Competitive laser tag players come in all shapes and sizes and ages. Some of the players from the original Photon sites continue to compete on various other laser tag systems twenty-plus years later.

Many of today's competitive laser tag players are younger. They may have played their chosen system for only a few years. Depending on the system, it often takes only a couple of years of practice to become competitive on a system.

Photon, the original laser tag manufacturer, started the competition scene with many tournaments. Several Photon arenas had league play, as well.

As Photon died out, three new systems began to provide competitive play opportunities for laser tag.

Q-Zar once had hundreds of laser tag locations in North America and Europe. Tournaments in Orlando attracted teams from around the world. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, a portable Q-Zar tent allowed olympic athletes and opportunity for competitive play. Unfortunately, technology and some questionable financial activities lead to the demise of Q-Zar as a U.S. Manufacturer. Competitive Q-Zar laser tag play went with it.

Q-Zar is still a popular laser tag kit in Europe, especially the United Kingdom and Russia. Tournaments in these countries are still common.

Ultrazone/Darkzone, now known as Zone Empire, had an active U.S. laser tag tournament scene for a number of years. Changes in the equipment and company policies lead to a slow, but steady decline. Zone laser tag locations were once almost exclusively stand alone laser tag facilities. Now, most Zone equipment is found in family entertainment centers and other multi-attraction facilities. Such facilities are generally not equipped for competitive laser tag play.

Laser Storm, an inexpensive laser tag equipment manufacturer designed for smaller arenas, sold to hundreds of laser tag arenas throughout the 1990's. Laser Storm was unique in designing divided laser tag arenas where teams played on opposite sides of the field, much like volleyball or dodgeball.

Laser Storm developed a strong laser tag tournament scene in the late 1990's that has survived even as the manufacturer has failed. The first Laser Storm National laser tag tournament in 1997 attracted fifty teams from around North America. Laser Storm equipment has survived in small arenas and less densely populated areas and the laser tag tournament scene has survived as well.

Probably the biggest laser tag tournament program began in 1998 with Laser Quest. Laser Quest is both a laser tag manufacturer and a chain of laser tag centers in North America. Originally player sponsored, the first North America Challenge featured a handful of teams competing in London, Ontario.

As Laser Quest grew, the corporation took over the management of the tournament. Since all North American Laser Quest centers were corporate stores, it made it easier for the company to manage a complex tournament. For the North American Challenge (or NAC), players begin by trying out at their local center. The best players at each center head to a Regional tournament with the very best selected to compete in the NAC finals.

Although the tournament has waned considerably in the last few years, the NAC once boasted over 60 nine-player teams in the entire laser tag tournament.

In recent times, laser tag competitions have continued, but their number is reduced. Laser tag has become an accepted attraction at many multi-attraction facilities like family entertainment centers. This lead to an explosion of laser tag arenas in the early portion of the 21st century, but few of these new facilities had an interest in competitive laser tag play.

Two modern high-end laser tag manufacturers have supported national and international tournaments. LASERTRON, one of the oldest U.S. manufacturers, had tournaments in the late 1990's supported by players and individual sites. However, in 2005, LASERTRON sponsored their first major laser tag tournament with a $5000 prize pool.

Darklight, an English manufacturer with several U.S. sites, also sponsored a World Championship for the past several years.

Tournaments for Laser Force, Zone and other systems also continue in Australia and New Zealand.

Unfortunately, because of the dramatic differences in play, most laser tag players play competitively on only one system. This reduces the total pool of players available for a laser tag tournament. Players generally don't want to risk competition in other laser tag systems.

The one exception is Armageddon. Armageddon is the world's only multi-system laser tag tournament. The tournament began in 2000 and has traveled around North America attracting players from different systems. In Armageddon, players participate in 6-8 round robins at different locations over the July 4th weekend.

The history of competitive laser tag isn't long, but as long as there are players who want to see who is the best, there will be competitive play.

If you're interested in becoming involved in competitive laser tag, you should check out www.lasersport.com, a player web site with forums dedicated to promoting competitive laser tag play. Lasersport is home to Armageddon and other tournaments.

If you want to find a laser tag location near you, check out www.wheretoplaylasertag.com which lists all known U.S. and Canadian sites.

Jason Bock
The Laser Tag Guy

Jason Bock has been involved in laser tag since the very beginning as a player, manager and consultant. He has written three books about laser tag for several trade associations and remains involved in the industry through LASERTRON. Find out more about laser tag or Jason at www.laser-tron.com.

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