Beast Games: Everything we know about MrBeast's Amazon Prime gameshow amid controversy and $14 million build

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as YouTube content creator MrBeast, is gearing up for his new Prime Video gameshow, Beast Games, ahead of its release on the streaming platform later this month, and has now revealed he has even gone as far as to build a $14 million “city” just for the series.

It was announced back in March that the 26-year-old - who has become the most subscribed-to individual on YouTube thanks to videos such as ‘Squid Game in Real Life’ and countless endurance challenges for cash prizes - would present the show.

“I’m going to try and make the most viewed streaming show in history,” Donaldson told The Colin and Samir Show podcast.

The Feastables founder has also said he wants to “prove YouTubers and creators can succeed on other platforms”, with Amazon giving him “the creative control I need to try and make it happen”.

What’s the premise?

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

According to an Amazon press release published last month, those tuning in to the show “can expect to see their favourite type of ‘MrBeast-style’ challenges fuelled by time-sensitive emotional decisions, pyrotechnics, and of course, big rewards”.

The main reward being a $5 million cash prize, just to be clear, which Donaldson claims is the “largest grand prize in entertainment history”.

1,000 players will be taking part to try and take home the money.

“Players will use their strength and wit to stay in the game, with the hope of being the multi-million-dollar winner,” Amazon said.

Sharing a teaser at the end of November, Donaldson said the series also involved “breaking 40 world records”, sharing a stack of Guinness World Records certificates to social media two days later.

An official trailer was released on Friday, showing contestants trapped in an empty room, on the run from Navy SEALs and pulling monster trucks with ropes.

What’s the controversy surrounding Beast Games?

However, in amongst the hype there has also been some backlash, as back in September both Donaldson and Amazon were sued by contestants on the show alleging “chronic mistreatment” and sexual harassment.

The list of allegations levelled at the YouTuber and streaming giant include: failing to pay minimum wages and overtime; failing to prevent sexual harassment; subjecting contestants to “infliction of emotional distress”; not providing meal or rest breaks; no access to basic hygiene and exposure to “dangerous circumstances and conditions as a condition of their employment”.

A month prior, several contestants had told The New York Times that meals provided by the production comprised a small portion of cold oatmeal, some raw vegetables and a single hard-boiled egg – a spokesperson for MrBeast, however, maintained they were offered three meals a day.

The anonymous contestants said in a statement: “While participants knew upon signing the contract at the production’s inception that they were facing a potentially long and challenging competition, they allege getting a lot more than they bargained for.

“Several contestants ended up hospitalised, while others reported suffering physical and mental complications while being subjected to chronic mistreatment, degradation and, for the female contestants, hostile working conditions.”

In November, Donaldson responded to one user on Twitter/X who raised the issue of contestants complaining of poor conditions to say the team behind the show have “tons of behind the scenes dropping when the show does to show how blown out of proportion these claims were”.

“Just can’t release it now because it would spoil the games,” he wrote.

When is Beast Games released on Prime Video?

The first two episodes will land on 19 December, with the remaining episodes released weekly.

How many episodes are there?

There will be 10 episodes in total.

When is the final?

Based on the weekly release schedule and there being 10 parts to the gameshow, Beast Games will finish up on 13 February next year.

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