YouTube sensation Jimmy “MrBeast”Donaldson recently opened up about the astonishing financial setbacks he encountered while creating the first season of Beast Games, which premiered on Prime Video in December 2024. This monumental game show featured a jaw-dropping $10 million prize for the victor, with total giveaways exceeding $20 million across all participants.
MrBeast revealed that the iconic collapsible towers shown in the initial episode came at a staggering cost of $15 million. In a candid post on X, he humorously acknowledged his extravagant budget:
“Yeah, went a little crazy with it haha.”
MrBeast’s Financial Lessons from Beast Games
During a recent appearance on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary of a CEO, MrBeast provided deeper insights into the financial logistics behind Beast Games. Known for his lavish expenditure on video production, this project represented his most ambitious endeavor to date, costing over $100 million. Although much of the financing came from Amazon, which acquired the show rights, MrBeast disclosed that he personally bore significant losses:
“That didn’t affect them (Amazon). I lost a lot of money filming the show. That came out of my pocket. We spent way too much money on it. I lost tens of millions of dollars on that show. I’m an idiot.”
While discussing the budget breakdown with Bartlett, MrBeast noted that although Amazon’s initial investment was substantial, with $20 million allocated for the winners’ prize money, his production costs soared:
“Episode 1, we spent $15 million on those towers, building them all. That was the most towers we built, most hydraulic press used.”
In addition to Episode 1’s extravagant spending, MrBeast shared the costs associated with the second episode. He detailed the creation of Beast City, a remarkable set that added an additional $14 million to the budget:
“Episode 2, we have the city, that was a $14 million set. That was a real city that they were living in. Just between the $22 (million) we gave away plus those two sets (episode 1 and 2), already right there you’re over $50 million.”
The first season of Beast Games concluded with contestant Jeffrey Randall Allen, aka Player 831, taking home the grand prize of $10 million. In an inspiring turn, Randall plans to utilize his winnings to promote awareness for Creatine Transporter Deficiency (CTD), a rare genetic condition affecting his son.