In ‘Beast Games,’ contestants head to Saudi Arabia, where they’re buried alive

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This article contains spoilers for “Beast Games” Season 2, Episode 8, “Would You Steal $1,000,000?”

Monika Ronk was completely shocked when Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, rolled a massive $500,000 in cash right in front of her. MrBeast is the creator and host of the exciting reality competition show “Beast Games,” which is currently in its second season on Prime Video.

Ronk is one of just ten people left in a competition that started with 200. MrBeast is offering her $500,000 for a special coin she owns. If Ronk wins the competition, the coin would increase the grand prize from $5 million to $10 million. The other contestants don’t know about this offer, and it’s up to Ronk whether or not to share the information. Ultimately, Ronk plans to sell the coin, take the money, and win the competition. She happily describes it as her moment to become the ‘villain’ and do whatever it takes to succeed.

“Beast Games” is a truly gripping competition, filled with both emotional highs and lows, and demanding incredible physical and mental strength. Contestants face challenges like building towers, navigating obstacle courses, playing dodgeball, and even enduring being buried alive. However, it’s the large sums of money offered by creator MrBeast that often prove the biggest test for even the most determined players.

Before contestant Ronk faces a life-or-death situation (buried alive with the others), Nick Mariano, another top player, gets the first chance to claim a share of the million-dollar prize. Although Mariano initially said he’d only take 10%, host MrBeast reminds him he can have it all. Mariano ultimately chooses $250,000, a decision that will likely impact the game and might even help Ronk win without attracting too much attention.

At the heart of all the excitement is Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast. He first gained international recognition over a decade ago by creating YouTube videos featuring ambitious challenges, often offering significant cash prizes. His MrBeast YouTube channel now boasts 466 million subscribers – far surpassing the second most popular channel, T-Series, which has around 310 million. Donaldson brought this same high-energy, over-the-top style to “Beast Games,” which premiered in December 2024. The first season quickly became Prime Video’s most popular reality show, reaching 50 million viewers in just 25 days.

Entertainment & Arts

A reality TV expert analyzed MrBeast’s popular recreation of Netflix’s “Squid Game” as a YouTube video featuring actual participants. Estimates suggest it cost around $134,600 for each minute of footage.

In this edited conversation, Donaldson discusses his predictions for the season’s outcome and identifies potential winners as the second season nears its conclusion on February 25th. He also responds to the recent class-action lawsuit filed by contestants against his production company and Amazon, which alleges unsafe working conditions and other issues.

Now that we’re partway through the season of “Beast Games,” what do you predict will happen?

It’s clear Nick took way more than he should have, and that really started a chain of events. Honestly, the show has exceeded my expectations – you can definitely feel it. The characters are much more developed, and the storytelling is a huge improvement over the first season, which is what I was hoping for. Now that some characters have stolen money and Monika sold the coin, things are really starting to escalate, and the next few episodes are going to be wild.

During the “Survivor” crossover in Episode 4, Jeff Probst mentioned his long-held belief that “Survivor” is a social experiment. Does he see “Beast Games” the same way?

I think Jeff really nailed the point. Our experiment asked people what they’d do for $5 million, and it’s fascinating to see how they approach it. Unlike most competition shows where the goal is to eliminate others, it seems like on “Beast Games” contestants actually form friendships and sometimes even decide not to eliminate someone they like.

That’s a good point. It’s also because we really created this whole city [Beast City] as a set, and by this point in the show, the characters have been living there for almost a month. We shot the first episode outside the city, so for about 35 days, they’ve been constantly together – living, sleeping, and spending time with each other. That creates really strong connections you don’t usually see on TV.

Jeff Probst mentioned at the conclusion of the recent crossover episode that these kinds of events are intended to happen every year. Is that going to be the new format?

Look, I really enjoyed it. Honestly, this feels like Jeff’s vision through and through – you’d probably be better off getting his take on it. From my perspective, it really delivered. I’m happy to support it if he is, but I think that’s all I can really say at this point.

Last week’s episode featured visits from the contestants’ families, which was a very moving experience. Was the timing of that episode intentional, considering the important decisions the contestants will be facing soon?

There’s an element of that, but it also comes down to timing. We start with a large group of contestants, and this point in the competition – around episodes 8-10 – feels right because we’ve narrowed it down to just ten people. Even episode 7 mostly focuses on those final contestants. This allows viewers to really get to know them, see their lives outside the game, and develop a connection before the competition gets intense and they start eliminating each other. We want every elimination within the top ten to be impactful – either genuinely upsetting or satisfying, depending on how you feel about the contestant – and create a strong emotional reaction.

In Episode 8, most of the characters are buried in coffins. Did these coffins have air conditioning or any supplies? And what about basic needs – what if someone needed to use the restroom while buried?

We repeatedly told the participants to use the restroom before they began. We then provided them with tools and plenty of food. Thankfully, it was nighttime, and many of them simply fell asleep. I initially expected them to quickly grab the money and return, but some deliberated for up to two hours – it proved to be a more difficult choice than anticipated. Most of the contestants lying in the dirt ended up sleeping through much of the experience. I’ve been buried alive several times for our YouTube channel, and when I do it, we use ten feet of dirt. In this case, we only buried them with about two or three feet, so we could easily pull them out if needed. However, it still gave them the sensation of being in a coffin and sealed inside.

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1. The area where eliminated contestants are ‘buried’. (David Scott Holloway / Prime) 2. Karl Jacobs, the co-host, was talking to Jack McKenna while he was inside a coffin. (David Scott Holloway / Prime)

As you were filming Episode 8 with the top 10, did you have an idea who would go all the way?

Thinking back to Episode 8, right after Monika sold the coin, everything was chaos. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if she’d reveal what happened, how she’d explain it, and if anyone would discover the truth. All the existing alliances were falling apart because the money was gone, and honestly, anything could happen. It’s completely up in the air at this point – anyone could win.

The episode ends with a major reveal: Auguste tells Monika that Jim revealed she secretly sold the coin – something she only confided in Jim. This betrayal leaves their relationship in serious doubt, and viewers are left wondering what will happen next.

It’s amazing that both Monika and Jim made it into the top ten! It’s actually pretty funny—Monika didn’t seem to lose any challenges, while Jim didn’t win any. She really carried him throughout the competition. The last two episodes are full of drama and things get really intense, because ultimately, only one of them can win, meaning they’ll eventually have to compete against each other.

Later in this episode, everyone departs from Beast City and unexpectedly travels to Saudi Arabia. What’s the reason for going there?

A lot of people don’t know that most of our viewers – around 70% – are located outside of North America. We have a particularly large following in the Middle East, thanks to our Arabic dubbing. I’ve been keen to expand internationally, and Saudi Arabia seemed like the perfect location, being central to the Middle East. They also have incredible studio facilities. Without giving too much away, episodes nine and ten feature some very large sets, requiring high ceilings, clear spaces without beams, and lots of adjacent studios to allow for quick transitions. Saudi Arabia has some of the biggest studios globally, and we were able to rent them for a full month to build and film on our sets. It was a fantastic choice, and it allowed us to connect with and represent our Middle Eastern audience.

Moving forward with these last two episodes of Season 2, how would you describe the challenges?

Okay, seriously, Episode 10 is hands down the best thing I’ve ever shot. I’m already wondering how I’m going to outdo it! We really went all out for the finale – no holding back. And things get wild, let me tell you. Someone walks away with five million bucks, but that’s all I can say. Trust me, it’s amazing, and it’s way better than anything you’ve seen from me so far.

In 2024, some contestants filed a lawsuit. What changes were made to ensure contestant safety for Season 2 compared to Season 1?

In the first season, we had 2,000 contestants, but this season we’ve narrowed it down to 200. With fewer people, we can provide more individual support and help contestants understand what’s happening, especially when they don’t win. Of course, we’ve had safety experts and coordinators on set for both seasons, and we thoroughly tested everything to ensure everyone’s safety.

During the first season, we saw some clumsy moments – people tripping while trying to grab the flag and getting minor scrapes. Anytime there’s physical activity, there’s always a risk of someone getting hurt, and I can’t promise that won’t happen. But I want to assure everyone that safety is my biggest concern. It’s upsetting when anyone gets injured, and that’s not what we want for “Beast Games.” Our goal is to create a competition where players can push themselves, compete for a large prize, and do it all without getting hurt – a true win-win situation.

We’ve invested heavily in safety measures and testing throughout both seasons to protect our contestants. This season, we’re sharing behind-the-scenes footage to show everyone just how seriously we take safety and the extensive work our coordinators do to ensure a secure environment.

Hollywood Inc.

Over a thousand people who competed on the upcoming MrBeast and Amazon show ‘Beast Games’ have filed a lawsuit together as a group.

Considering your work on “Beast Games” and throughout your career, how challenging is it to consistently surpass your previous achievements?

A lot of people think improving a production means simply spending more money on bigger sets. But I see it differently. There are countless small details that can be refined – everything from editing and music to the set design and the equipment we use. This year, we even used the same high-end cameras – the Alexa 265 – that Marvel uses. In fact, the camera my cinematographer used cost around $500,000 and is one of only 20 in the world. These kinds of upgrades add a lot of depth and quality to the final product.

You’ve been a public figure for around ten years, ever since you became popular on YouTube. With everything happening, have you been able to actually enjoy the experience?

I’m a real workaholic, always busy with something new. But honestly, the best part of it all is connecting with fans and seeing how much they enjoy what I do. It’s incredibly rewarding!

I actually slept well tonight, which is rare because I’m usually exhausted and have a lot on my plate. It’s worth it though, considering over 100 million people watched the first season of “Beast Games.” I often think about how things could be different – I could have taken more breaks and been more rested, but maybe the show wouldn’t have been as good. Ultimately, I always feel better knowing I pushed myself to create quality content, even if it meant working harder.

I know things can change quickly, so I want to focus on making the best possible content right now and creating something meaningful while we have the opportunity.

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2026-02-11 14:34