It seems like reality game shows are all the craze now in streaming, and now Prime Video is looking to get in on the act. Capitalising on the success of its Bond-styled reality TV series 007: Road to a Million, Prime Video has found the perfect candidate to helm its next big competition show: YouTuber MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson), known for his outlandish challenges and massive giveaways on his wildly popular YouTube channel.
Tilted Beast Games, the upcoming reality competition series will reportedly feature “the biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming”. With 1,000 contestants competing for a whopping AUD$7.6 million reward (or USD$5 million), the show promises a “fast-paced and high-production format.” As with such announcements, details about the specific challenges and filming location for Beast Games are currently under tight wraps.
There is currently no word on the release date or the contestant selection process either, however MrBeast will serve as both the host and executive producer. Donaldson is no stranger to hosting outrageous challenges and has even hosted his own real-life Squid Game competition, leveraging on the Korean show’s popularity. This makes him the perfect candidate to lead what could be called Prime Video’s answer to Netflix‘s smash hit, Squid Game: The Challenge.
With a record-breaking USD$5 million prize pool, Amazon’s Beast Games aims to be the ultimate reality competition, overshadowing Netflix’s offering with its high-stakes gameplay. Speaking about the upcoming show in an official statement, MrBeast said, “My goal is to make the greatest show possible and prove YouTubers and creators can succeed on other platforms. Amazon gave me the creative control I need to try and make it happen. I hope to make the YouTube community proud.”
Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios said, “MrBeast has captured the attention and imagination of fans of all ages, from all walks of life, and all over the world. We are excited to work with Jimmy and his talented team to bring his brilliant, high production, and stakes-raising concepts to Beast Games for our global customers to experience.”
While Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios agreed, adding “When MrBeast first told us about his concept for the show, we were blown away by his ambition to make Beast Games the biggest reality competition series ever. We’d like to thank Aaron DeBevoise, Nic Paul, and the Spotter team for the introduction and kickstarting this journey for us.” Beast Games currently has no release date but will stream exclusively on Prime Video when it releases.
Shubhendu Vatsa is an experienced reporter specialising in video game, eSports and technology coverage. A BTech IT graduate, Shubhendu has previously written for entertainment-based publications such as GiveMeSport, Touch, Tap, Play, Attack of the Fanboy, EssentiallySports, Twinfinite and The Load Out.
