As the school year comes to a close and the Class of 2026 gets closer to graduation, the well-known game of Senior Assassins has returned to cause chaos and fun among seniors.
Senior Assassins is a student-organized game played by seniors who pay to participate. After signing up, each player is secretly assigned another player as their target. Participants play in teams of two.
In order to progress, students must “assassinate” their assigned target with a water gun within a set time frame. The hours of gameplay begin from 6:00 AM to 11:59 PM. This elimination-style bracket game continues until one final team is left to take the pot.
Senior Assassins is typically hosted by an anonymous group of students rather than the school. The game is coordinated through social media and word of mouth by students in order to get attention. The hosts for this year have established clear rules and communication through platforms such as Instagram.
The participation fee for this game is $30 per person, with the money going to the prize pot and a portion shared with the hosts for organizing the game.
The 2026 Assassins Rulebook serves as a faint remembrance of the previous Class of 2025’s Senior Assassins game. The rules include set dates for eliminations, approved equipment, and instructions for submitting proof of eliminations. This structure keeps the game organized and fair for everyone involved.
Video proof of shooting the target is required as a fair and honest way to confirm an elimination decision from the hosts. These videos are then posted onto the official account to build excitement and keep participants or spectators engaged as the game continues.
Players often look forward to watching eliminations and to keep track of which teams remain in the game as a potential strategy.
Additionally, seeing the hilarious and funny team-ups on the accounts helps build up excitement as the dates become closer to the finale.
Gisella Rodriguez said, “I believe that Isabella Cruz and Harry Dunn were an unexpected team, as well as most of the kids that had partnered up.”
Publicity from the game adds to the competitive environment of Senior Assassins to keep spectators somewhat informed.
Isabella Cruz, a member of the Fireboy and Watergirl team, said, “Hearing about Senior Assassins from my older siblings and seeing videos from previous years made the game seem really fun and appealing to me.”
“For the most part, I think I’m just going to wing it. Obviously, I want to try to make it further into the rounds and win,” said Cruz.
Students are permitted to wear an inflated floatie in order to gain protection from being eliminated, which also adds hilarious moments of students wearing floaties in public to avoid being eliminated from the game.
A unique feature of the game is bounties, which are placed on players who violate any rules. Instead of being eliminated, the hosts give the student another chance to continue participating with added risk. Bounties typically last for one to two days.
“Honestly, just have fun. If you get out, you’re out, and you should have good sportsmanship for it. Participate in any senior activities while you can, because it’s your last year,” said Cruz.
One of the most unique aspects of Senior Assassins is the creativity it inspires. Participants often plan elaborate strategies, work with friends, and find ways to catch their targets off guard.
Senior Assassins has also come to a point where seniors have been heard bribing others for information or live locations whenever possible for the right amount of money, which brings the question of ethics and actual school involvement around.
With students trying to eliminate their target, there are strict rules enforced in order to prevent incidents such as false burglaries or trespassing on private property. For example, students are not allowed to camp all night long on another student’s property.
Senior Assassins serves as a way for seniors to connect outside of the classroom. The game provides an opportunity for seniors before they leave for college, and builds memories during their final months of high school.
For many, it brings together classmates who have never spoken to each other to interact, involving more students to be a part of the last few months of school.
