On Amazon’s reality show Beast Games, contestants took part in challenges like a potato sack race, tower climbing, and coin collection to win a record $10 million prize. The show, which ended its first season on February 13, became Amazon’s biggest unscripted hit, attracting 50 million viewers in 25 days.
Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, revealed that he lost tens of millions of dollars on Beast Games. However, the 26-year-old YouTuber has no regrets about spending his own money to support the show and make it better.
Donaldson admitted on the Diary of a CEO podcast that filming Beast Games cost him a huge amount of money and wasn’t a wise financial decision.
Donaldson shared that the first episode’s set, featuring 1,000 towers each 10 feet tall, cost over $15 million to build, while the second episode’s set required $14 million.
Donaldson did not reveal the total cost of the 10-episode season but confirmed it exceeded its $100 million budget. Despite this, he had no regrets, emphasizing that his priority was delivering the best possible first season and staying true to his YouTube community.
Donaldson pointed out that YouTube creators often face challenges when transitioning to streaming platforms. Despite being the most-subscribed YouTuber, he struggled to attract interest from streaming executives for his show.
The success of Beast Games wasn’t just important for Donaldson but for the entire YouTube community. With the show performing well, new opportunities are emerging for him and other creators in the streaming industry.
Donaldson shared that Beast Games has already helped two creators land deals, and he expects it to bring hundreds of millions of dollars to creators in the coming year.
Donaldson shared that while he may be a billionaire on paper, he keeps less than $1 million in his bank account, paying himself just enough to cover expenses while reinvesting in his brand. Beast Games, streaming on Prime Video, continues to attract around 700,000 new viewers daily.