Airsoft was created and marketed in Japan in the 1980s, due to civilian ownership of firearms being banned. Airsoft was used to closely emulate real guns. Now air soft guns have been adapted with a purely recreational application in mind. Many air soft guns are produced in China and Japan, where their distribution and sale is restricted. This has sometimes led to shipments of arms to many airsoft dealers being confiscated. Airsoft guns are also produced in the Philippines, the United States, and Taiwan. The game is a recreational activity in which participants eliminate opponents by hitting each other with round non-metallic pellets launched via replica firearms.Gameplay varies in style and composition but often range from short-term skirmishes, organized scenarios, military simulations, or historical reenactments. Combat situations on the battlefield often involve the use of common military tactics to achieve objectives set in each game. Participants typically emulate the tactical equipment and accessories used by modern military and police organizations. The guns used in airsoft are typically imitation firearms. They have a mechanism for pushing out projectiles 6 mm or 8 mm in diameter.

Most airsoft guns fire round plastic pellets ranging from 0.12 plastic to 0.88 grams. However, the most popular weights for AEG automatic electric gun are between 20 and 28 grams. Heavier rounds 30 48 grams are typically used for long range and sniper use since they are more stable in flight and less easily deflected by wind. They are usually bought in bags or bottles of 2000 to 5000, but other sizes are available, such as a 250000 round of tournament grade pellets. Pellets are typically 6 mm in diameter, though 8 mm pellets do exist. These pellets are available in the 12 to 45 gram range.