Played by the San Diego Nerf Club and TnT Events, HotPot is a Team Deathmatch game with a King of the Hill twist to prevent turtling. If neither team has been entirely eliminated after 45 seconds, the center bucket activates. If either team can then take possession of the bucket for three seconds without being tagged, that team wins. This is about as quick and simple as competitive formats can get, which is its primary advantage.
Another advantage is its adaptability. Unlike other games with only one regulation field or team size, HotPot can grow or shrink depending on the event and venue. TnT Events recently adapted the ruleset with an East Coast flair to form "Spicy" Hot Pot. They hosted this adaptation at their BPOC annual casual competitive tournament in August 2025.
At A Glance
Objective
Eliminate the opposing team or take possession of the center bucket for three (3) seconds without getting tagged
Game Time
1-2 rounds x 90 seconds
Team Size
Players on the field per team: 3v3-5v5 Maximum players per team: 6-8
Loadout Limits
220-250 FPS Manual Springer; 200-220 FPS Battery Powered (Flywheeler & AEB) 100-600 darts per team per game with discretionary distribution
