Beastly games
By Lauren Law and Chelsea Lu Feb. 12, 2025
Cameras capture every move. Alliances are shattered by deceit. Food is scarce, medical care is inadequate, and contestants suffer physical injuries—this is not a punishment, it is “Beast Games,” a brutal reality TV competition created by Youtuber James Donaldson, or MrBeast. When it first premiered in December 2024, the show promised a high-stakes competition inspired by the global sensation “Squid Game.” However, it has instead delivered a wave of controversy, with many claiming it neglects the original’s exploration of human morality.
The “Squid Game” is a South Korean Netflix series that debuted in 2021, praised for its dark commentary on poverty, capitalism and exploitation. Its plot featured hundreds of financially burdened players competing in deadly children’s games for a hefty cash prize.
On the other hand, “Beast Games” follows 1,000 contestants participating in challenges such as physical obstacles and mental puzzles to win a $5 million prize. Like “Squid Game,” each challenge ends in eliminations, progressively reducing the number of participants. Contestants were chosen through an online application process, though they were free to leave the show at any time.
“I really enjoyed both shows, and 'Beast Games' stood out to me for its intriguing mix of competition and character development; it did a great job of crafting organic storytelling moments with the contestants, allowing the audience to be more invested in their journey. However, sometimes the show’s editing felt forced and exaggerated,” Junior Maxim Kerns said.
Despite the initial excitement, the show has not been received well. With a low critical rating of 17% on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, many reviews called out “Beast Games” for being purely exploitative with repetitive plotlines. Additionally, Sports Illustrated states that while the point of “Squid Game” is to mock capitalism, “Beast Games” is capitalism embodied in a show. Commentators from The Guardian also stated that while the show is addictive, it exists solely to showcase the worst of human conditions for others’ entertainment.
"‘Beast Games’ is unsettling at times. The way MrBeast orchestrates these over-the-top challenges feels like something out of a dystopian novel. It is like watching humans in a live social experiment," Senior Daniel Fogg said.
Furthermore, news outlets such as The New York Times and NBC News have exposed allegations of misconduct and mismanagement behind the show. Due to an overwhelmed and understaffed crew, contestants were allegedly not given adequate food or water for long periods of time, with their medical needs ignored. Physical challenges such as pulling cars also caused several serious injuries: some participants left the competition arena on stretchers and had to be hospitalized.
On Sept. 16, 2024, five anonymous “Beast Games” contestants filed a class-action lawsuit against MrBeast in the Los Angeles Superior Court. According to The New York Times, their claims alleged mistreatment during the production of “Beast Games” including sexual harassment, lack of medical care, inadequate food and unpaid expenses and wages. On Newsweek, MrBeast responded to the claims by stating that they were blown out of proportion.
The lawsuit has yet to reach a decision, with some doubting the claims and others questioning the ethical practices of such large-scale productions. As the conversation about exploitation in entertainment deepens, discussions about the cost of high-stakes content and the values it promotes remains.
Lauren Law is a Staff Writer who likes to listen to music and hang out with friends. Her favorite artists are SZA and Drake
Chelsea Lu is a Staff Writer, and this is her first year in Journalism. She loves hanging out with friends, building Legos, and rotting in bed. She also loves writing stories.
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