When Survivor first premiered in 2000, the premise was straightforward: Who can survive in the wilderness the longest, on the brink of starvation, while surrounded by strangers? The appeal of the show lay in its exploration of how such grueling conditions would impact social behavior and who the group would ultimately decide to vote off the island with each passing week. It was a fascinating concept – enough for CBS to offer a $1 million prize to the winner (equivalent to about $1.8 million in 2024 dollars). Over the course of 47 seasons, however, the show’s dynamic shifted in a way that transformed its success.

 

What began as a survival challenge evolved into a strategic battle of social strategy. The question shifted from “Who can endure the harshest conditions?” to “Who can manipulate the competition to the best of their advantage?” This transformation gave rise to the intricate political gameplay that has kept Survivor a cultural phenomenon for over two decades.

 

In March 2024, Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, announced a groundbreaking deal with Amazon MGM to create a reality competition series inspired by his wildly popular YouTube videos. With a reported budget exceeding $100 million, it stands as one of the most expensive reality competition shows ever produced.

 

The series will kick off with 2,000 participants competing in a YouTube video for a chance to secure one of the final 1,000 spots in the main competition. The ultimate prize? A staggering $5 million, the largest reward ever awarded in reality competition television history. On top of that, contestants will also have the opportunity to win additional incentives and prizes throughout the games, adding even more excitement to this unprecedented venture.

 

I’ll admit it, MrBeast videos are my guilty pleasure. Whether it’s 100 people competing over the course of a few days (like in his video "Ages 1-100 Decide Who Wins $250,000") or one person enduring a grueling challenge ("Survive 100 Days Trapped, Win $500,000"), the allure of such massive cash prizes for seemingly simple tasks is irresistible to me. Who wouldn’t want to take a chance at winning a life-changing sum of money?

 

It’s hard not to wonder, “What would I do in this situation?” as I watch his contestants strategize, react, and persevere. In his large group challenges, it’s easy to think, “It’s only a day or two, and I’ll probably walk away with at least some money.” The time commitment is minimal, so you’re not sacrificing much, right? For his longer, single-player endurance tests, I often find myself thinking, “I could totally do that, no problem.”

 

The social dilemma at the heart of the Beast Games is undeniable. While the prize is significantly larger than anything featured on MrBeast’s YouTube channel, the number of contestants and the time required to compete for that prize are equally monumental. With over 2,000 total participants vying for a single reward, contestants were expected to commit not just a full week to secure one of the coveted 1,000 slots during round one for a single YouTube video, but over a month for the duration of the Beast Games themselves, which were eventually featured on Prime Video.

 

What started as a lighthearted YouTube game show has evolved into a high-stakes competition with serious real-world consequences. Many contestants find themselves in deep financial distress, driven by desperation to change their lives forever. This shift highlights the stark contrast between the entertainment value for viewers and the intense personal sacrifices made by those competing.

 

MrBeast has faced his fair share of criticism regarding his philanthropic approach, often accused of “gamifying” his large cash rewards and exploiting working-class, struggling individuals eager for a chance at life-changing money. Personally, I don’t agree with this criticism when it comes to his YouTube videos. I don’t see a significant difference between MrBeast’s videos, which typically involve minimal time commitments of just a day or two, and large-scale reality game shows like Survivor, Big Brother, or The Circle. All of these feature everyday people competing for substantial cash prizes. In fact, MrBeast’s videos often offer larger rewards than many of these shows, making them equally, if not more, appealing without requiring the extended time commitment of traditional reality TV.

 

My opinion on this matter has been seriously challenged with the introduction of Beast Games. Using the same logic and comparisons, there are far more critical questions that need to be addressed.

 

Let’s start with contestant compensation, which highlights a glaring disparity between network reality competition shows and Beast Games. Of the 2,000 total competitors (half of whom were eliminated during a promotional YouTube video on Donaldson’s channel, leaving 1,000 for the actual series), each participant received only $2,000 for their time. This payment remains the same whether you are eliminated in the first challenge or make it halfway through the series, potentially through no fault of your own, a common tactic in MrBeast videos.

 

In contrast, contestants on Survivor are paid significantly more for their participation. They typically earn $10,000 just for being on the show, regardless of whether they are the first to be eliminated or make it to the jury stage (usually the final 8-10 contestants). If they reach the jury, they earn additional compensation, and the final three contestants receive substantial payouts based on their placements. This entire process, much like Beast Games, takes about a month to film.

 

One might argue that the disparity is due to the prize pool. Beast Games offers a massive $5 million grand prize, with opportunities to win additional rewards throughout the competition, compared to Survivor's $1 million top prize and scaled payouts for eliminated contestants. However, this raises a fundamental question: What is a person’s time truly worth? Is it justifiable to gamble on a slim chance at life-changing money while risking severe consequences such as losing a job or significant time away from family, especially when compared to the guaranteed pay and lesser, but still substantial, prizes offered by an equally or even more culturally relevant show?

 

This brings me to the most striking aspect of the show: the sheer amount of money involved. While MrBeast doesn’t guarantee significant pay to all contestants, he frequently offers cash incentives for participants to self-eliminate, sometimes resulting in the elimination of others as well. For example, he might offer $50,000 to anyone willing to walk away, and in the process eliminate a large number of contestants – a tempting trade-off compared to the ultimate jackpot of the competition. This strategy carries over into his Prime Video series, where the total prize money far exceeds that of any other reality competition show.

 

However, these incentives are not guaranteed. The grand prize of $5 million is undeniably life-changing for the winner, offering an extraordinary opportunity to showcase how human behavior operates under pressure. It raises questions about the lengths people will go to for personal gain compared to doing what they perceive as morally right. Contestants eliminated during the show are often shown sobbing, devastated at the loss of even the chance to improve their lives or provide for their families.

 

While these emotional reactions may seem exaggerated, given the intentionally detached and sensational editing style of MrBeast’s videos, they also evoke deep empathy. Imagine quitting your job, leaving everything behind, and dedicating yourself to a chance at $5 million, only to be eliminated because someone on your team literally dropped the ball. Walking away with just $2,000 in such a scenario feels crushingly inadequate.

 

This highlights a glaring disconnect between MrBeast’s immense wealth and the struggles of the contestants he features. It’s difficult not to view the participants – many of whom are in significant financial distress – as mere game pieces, rather than real people with complex lives and ongoing hardships. This dynamic underscores the broader issue of wealth inequality in the United States, where those in financial despair are often treated as pawns in systems of entertainment that profit from their desperation.

 

It’s hard not to draw comparisons to another viral and deeply relatable streaming phenomenon, Squid Game. The hit Netflix series spotlighted the wealth inequality in South Korea, a major capitalist country, resonating globally with its themes of inequity, poverty, and financial desperation. The show depicted a select group of wealthy individuals treating the lives of impoverished participants as disposable game pieces, even going so far as to eliminate them permanently when their time in the game expired.

 

While Beast Games doesn’t involve the literal death of its contestants, the emotional and financial consequences of elimination can feel just as crushing. Returning to a life in potentially worse financial circumstances than when you started could, for some, feel like a fate worse than death. It’s not a stretch to compare MrBeast to the elite figures in Squid Game, orchestrating the desperation of thousands of struggling individuals for entertainment, and the contestants to those willing to risk everything, as the alternative – returning to financial hardship – feels unbearable.

 

Though Beast Games is far from the extremes of Squid Game, the devastation shown by eliminated contestants makes the parallels hard to ignore. Their reactions serve as a stark reminder of the real-life stakes and the profound impact such experiences can have on those living on the edge of financial ruin.

 

The irony of Beast Games lies in its presentation. At least Squid Game had the self-awareness to critique the very system it portrayed, using its game-show format as a lens to examine wealth inequality and the dystopian lengths people might go to for financial gain. It highlighted how money can bring out the worst in humanity, pushing individuals to harm others just to get a slight edge. Beast Games, on the other hand, lacks this critical perspective entirely.

 

Presented as a lighthearted competition reality series, the show fails to fully connect its audience with the contestants. Instead, each challenge is framed like a schoolyard game with seemingly minimal stakes. Yet, with $5 million on the line, we all know the consequences are far from trivial.

 

Jimmy Donaldson might claim that he’s doing more than any other YouTuber by offering participants a chance at a life-changing sum of money. However, his actions tell a different story. The lack of awareness about the deeper implications of his games – and the real-life impact they have on desperate contestants – is both troubling and tone-deaf. The consequences of these so-called "fun" competitions are far more severe than the show’s glossy, upbeat facade would suggest.

 

It’s precisely for this reason that I believe everyone should watch Beast Games. Ignoring the issue won’t make it disappear. Whether intentional or not, MrBeast has created an opportunity to showcase class consciousness to a global audience, shining a stark spotlight on the dystopian reality that has loomed as a cautionary tale for Americans since childhood, and is now edging closer to becoming our reality.

 

Class and wealth inequality in the United States is more severe now than it was in the years leading up to the French Revolution in 1789, which was fueled by the disparity between the rich and the poor. While I don’t anticipate a similar revolution in America anytime soon, it is long past time for a significant portion of the population to wake up to the gravity of this issue. This is not just a threat to the stability and health of the country, but a direct assault on the dignity of people who deserve far better than the financial hardships they’re forced to endure. At the heart of this problem is a system that prioritizes wealth over well-being – a system that MrBeast exploits for entertainment.