Chaos Unveiled: Inside the Turbulent World of Amazon’s Show Production

On December 19, Amazon Prime Video debuted the first two episodes of the Beast Games, one of the largest and most ambitious reality shows to date. Developed by Jimmy Donaldson, widely recognized as MrBeast, the 10-episode series borrows the concept from his 330 million-subscriber YouTube empire and enhances it with 1,000 participants vying for a $5 million grand prize. 

Donaldson experienced his first encounter with virality in 2017 when he was merely a rebellious teenager counting to 100,000 and providing cash to pizza delivery drivers. Following that, his content has surged in both popularity and production quality, executing monumental challenges such as having individuals aged one to 100 compete for $500,000 or allowing one subscriber to challenge football icon Cristiano‬ Ronaldo in a contest to determine who can hit the most targets for $1 million. Currently the world’s biggest YouTuber, Donaldson has his own range of chocolate bars, partnerships with restaurants, brand collaborations, and lunch snack ventures that reportedly earn him a estimated $700 million annually. 

The critical reviews for Beast Games have been unfavorable —  IGN described it as “largely tedious and lacking much to captivate an audience” and The Guardian commented that it “exists merely to showcase the most negative aspects of humanity, in the most obnoxious manner.” 

Prior to its launch, Donaldson had been touting the sheer scale and magnitude of his show. He tweeted that it set 40 Guinness World Records, including the “largest cash reward, most participants, and most cameras used.” (According to the Guinness website, some records like “Most Money Given Away in a First Episode” did not have established winners.) Donaldson has also boasted about Beast Games being “ranked #1” in nearly 90 countries, although Amazon does not release viewership statistics, making it impossible to ascertain how many views that entails. 

However, the production of Beast Games did not proceed without issues, with various sources reporting the challenging conditions experienced by both contestants and crew members involved in the event. Rolling Stone interviewed several crew members and participants in September, and since then, three additional contestants have come forward to share their experiences, documents, and images, exposing the extent of chaos during the creation of this record-setting show. 

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Beast Games origins

Amazons first disclosed the series in March 2024. “When MrBeast initially shared his idea for the show with us, we were astonished by his aspiration to make Beast Games the largest reality competition series ever,” said Vernon Sanders, co-head of television at Amazon Studios, in a press release. Donaldson expressed his excitement about the creative freedom they provided him: “Amazon granted me the creative liberty necessary to attempt and bring it to fruition,” he remarked. By May, the production firm Mystic Art Pictures had issued a call for contestants, who were asked queries such as, “Are you prepared to be buried alive?” and, “Do you consider yourself more of a hero or a villain?”

The production costs exceeded “way more than $100 million,” Donaldson stated on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, indicating that he “ended up losing tens of millions of dollars while filming this show,” although he did not clarify whether the funds originated from him or Amazon. (Neither Amazon nor a representative for MrBeast offered comments). He also claimed that $20 million was allocated solely for prizes, with additional expenses including a $14 million set in Toronto, “1,400 cameras operating simultaneously,” and “over 100 individuals involved in editing.” According to a behind-the-scenes clip by YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss, the Vegas filming incurred a $14 million production cost. 

Issues arise in Las Vegas

In July, Beast Games transported 2,000 contestants to Las Vegas for a three-day contest at Allegiant Stadium, to record a promotional video for the MrBeast YouTube channel. According to Vital Vegas, participants were paraded into the stadium clad in garbage bags over their attire, to conceal their jerseys, and were anticipated to remain there for the full duration of the shoot. Scott Leopold, an actor from Austin who took part in the Vegas round of Beast Games, informed Rolling Stone that part of their motivation for participating was to secure a TV credit, and they felt let down.to discover that the initial phase of the production was solely available on YouTube. 

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Problems began to surface almost right away. Based on an inquiry by Las Vegas 3 News, the filming was chaotic and the environment became unhealthy — one participant reported seeing an individual in a sleeping bag “covered in waste” after seemingly situating themselves too near to an overflowing portable toilet. Others found it challenging to access their necessary medication, such as insulin, after they were informed that they couldn’t bring any items into the stadium but that their medicines would be returned once inside. According to the New York Times, participants took part in strenuous physical tasks, yet some “had not been provided sufficient food or medical assistance.” A representative for MrBeast opted not to comment on these allegations. A source close to the production stated that the Las Vegas filming resulted in six hospitalizations. A MrBeast representative had earlier told Rolling Stone that the filming was “unfortunately hindered by the CrowdStrike incident” — a significant IT interruption due to a defective system update — “severe weather, and other unforeseen logistical and communication hurdles.” 

Following the show’s debut, contestants began to disclose their experiences appearing on the program, both positive and negative. In TikTok clips, one contestant mentioned they went “the entire day without any food,” and another showcased the heaps of sleeping bags that were distributed at the stadium. “Anyone could have exited at any moment, nobody was stopped from departing,” one contestant commented on their YouTube channel. “If anyone claims they were trapped for real, they weren’t, but I suppose we were confined because we wanted the $5 million.” 

Amanda Rose, a contestant in Las Vegas, appeared in a video alongside YouTuber Rosanna Pansino, who frequently uploads videos probing into Donaldson’s practices, alleging that she sustained a traumatic brain injury after being kicked in the head during a competition. Rose tells Rolling Stone that she submitted an incident report to local authorities upon returning home to California, but when she notified the Las Vegas police department, they opted not to file a report. “I would have never participated in these competitions or associated with a brand that seems to prioritize views and clicks over human safety,” Rose states. (LVPD did not respond to a request for a comment, and a spokesperson for MrBeast chose not to comment.) 

In September, five unnamed participants lodged a lawsuit against Amazon and Donaldson for “ongoing mistreatment,” “sexual harassment” and “failure to provide minimum wage.” A spokesperson for the contestants’ law firm declined to comment due to the “active ongoing legal investigation.” According to the online summary, the case status remains “pending” with the next hearing slated for March. A representative for MrBeast told Rolling Stone that the lawsuit has yet to be formally served to Donaldson or Amazon.  

In Toronto, conditions enhanced for participants — but the crew had grievances

In late August, a miniature village emerged in downtown Toronto with cabins, tables, a basketball court, and a prominent tower. Six contestants inform Rolling Stone that their conditions were markedly better than the previous shoot and that they were provided sufficient food and comfortable accommodations. “They did a better job at [ensuring] everyone was comfortable and had enough food, more than sufficient,” one contestant informs Rolling Stone. “They made sure we were really well taken care of, due to the backlash.” 

Some crew members report they faced a significantly tougher situation, with seven individuals who worked on the show stating to Rolling Stone that the production was “chaotic” and “disorganized.” During a record rainstorm in August, one production assistant relayed to Rolling Stone that employees were “instructed to keep working with heaps of electrical equipment literally submerged under water.” In a behind-the-scenes video from YouTubers Colin and Samir, viewers can observe production members laboring while the rainwater leaks into the set. 

Two crew members further revealed to Rolling Stone that during a 90-degree heat wave, the warehouse they were assigned to had “air conditioning and fans turned off during specific challenges because they didn’t want to disrupt the ‘atmosphere’” of filming and the conditions “were far from ideal.”

The crew members who communicated with Rolling Stone described a fast-paced environment that was relaxed concerning safety in order to meet production demands. Days frequently extended beyond 12 hours, and employees were often required to work more than seven consecutive days. According to a pay stub examined by Rolling Stone, in September, a crew member logged over 80 hours in a single week. 

Crew members also experienced injuries on set. Based on accounts from multiple crew members who spoke with Rolling Stone and were aware of the incident through those present, including one who was at the location when it occurred, on Sept. 11, a six-foot by six-foot section of the tower’s exterior collapsed onto a crew member while the set was being dismantled. The crew member sustained injuries and was immediately transported to the hospital. “He was lying on the ground until the ambulance arrived,” one PA recounts. “It just fucking hit the guy hard.”as he was merely strolling beneath and not below a segment of the tower where they were presently working. Rolling Stone was unable to reach the crew member. A representative for MrBeast chose not to comment on the occurrence. 

Some competitors felt “betrayed”

Based on the Beast Games trailer, “41 distinct challenges” were designed to assess the contestants’ spirit. The challenges, as reported by the competitors, varied from basic trivia to physical tasks like towing a truck. Testers were invited to attempt the challenges ahead of the contestants, according to messages on employee forums and social platforms observed by Rolling Stone. A production insider states that there was “a highly qualified, seasoned safety team, which included coordinators for stunts, medication, medical personnel, and pharmacists who were required to follow various safety protocols.”

However, one of these challenges in Toronto sparked a dispute among competitors, three of whom shared with us that they felt “betrayed” by the game. 

Named “Sacrifice Row” in an internal email reviewed by Rolling Stone, 900 contestants were divided into 12 rows and situated on pedestals five feet apart. These players received instructions to press a button to eliminate themselves while securing safety for their row, and the last three rows to make a selection would be removed. This was the second challenge in the premiere episode of Beast Games, resulting in the elimination of 252 players. According to contestants who communicated with Rolling Stone, the game’s rules appeared “hours” in advance on a monitor on set, granting an apparent advantage to those who viewed them and allowing time for strategizing with teammates. The game was anticipated to last 10 minutes but concluded in merely 12 seconds. 

Two eyewitness competitors informed Rolling Stone that members of the group resisted leaving Toronto for several days, engaging in numerous discussions with production staff and their legal advisers in a quest to reverse the results. This could also stem from the dissatisfaction of having devoted so much time and effort only to be eliminated over what they perceived as a technicality.

According to an email dated Aug. 31 from the Beast Games account, a third-party assessment “concluded that the technical issue encountered during the game ‘Sacrifice Row’ did not provide an unfair advantage to any team, nor did it impose an unfair disadvantage to any team.” Representatives for MrBeast opted not to comment, but a source affiliated with production stated that Beast Games’ insurance advisors “conducted a comprehensive investigation and concluded there was no advantage or disadvantage allocated to any team.” 

The group collectively attempted to negotiate with those at MrBeast, forming a Discord server for production members and the eliminated contestants, who referred to themselves as “The Beastlings.” In a message documented by Rolling Stone from Oct. 15, a group leader posted in the chat “CONFIRMED: The Beast Team is actively prioritizing selections from the Beastling group during casting.” Mike Cruz, the CEO of MrBeast Studio remarked, “Apologies for the confusion everyone, literally (Casting) asked me for ways to obtain people’s… height, sizes, and photos without having to sift through the Mystic spreadsheets.” 

According to a Google Form dated Nov. 6 examined by Rolling Stone, those who were eliminated were presented with the opportunity “to prioritize your consideration for future roles” in MrBeast content in exchange for not “disclosing any information about this community or its history to any external parties or participating in a class action lawsuit” for 45 days post submission of the form. “We would offer them priority over contestants who progressed further in the competition, but no promises or guarantees were made,” a source close to production claims.

Two contestants reported that Beast Games production covered the hotel accommodations of those who remained. “The contestants that [believed they] were wronged by the sacrifice game did not leave the hotel for over five days thereafter, and the Beast team was threatening to evict them,” one competitor notes. “A significant number of contestants wish to voice their concerns but fear the NDA.” 

Donaldson speaks up

Throughout much of the Beast Games’ production, Donaldson remained tight-lipped about the events on set, only tweeting in July to reveal that his second-in-command, Ava Tyson, was dismissed from the company following allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a minor and a sexual relationship with her executive assistant. In a statement on X, Tyson expressed remorse for “any of my past actions or statements” adding that they “never groomed anyone.” 

It wasn’t until November, following a three-month inquiry into the company, that Donaldson began addressing some of the allegations — both regarding Tyson and the incidents on the set of Beast Games.

For his inaugural sitdown interview, Donaldson selected YouTuber Caleb Phelps on his 5.6 million-subscriber channel Oompaville. Donaldson stated that claims of “numerous broken bones” on set are “absurd.” (In a July Rosanna Pansino video, the YouTuber recited a message they received from a contestant asserting they witnessed people with “broken bones.” A source close to production alleges that there were no “broken bones.”) “We did mess up on minor issues and there are certainly areas we could have improved, but then it’s intertwined with all these outrageous claims,” Donaldson stated. 

“We have an abundance of behind-the-scenes content releasing alongside the show to illustrate how exaggerated these claims were,” Donaldson posted on Nov. 25 on X in response to a comment regarding “contestants (that) voiced dissatisfaction about poor conditions.” However, as the show continues to be released, contestants can now openly discuss their experiences, leading to videos emerging across YouTube — potentially providing a clearer insight into what truly transpired during the filming of Beast Games.