MrBeast offered them a chance to win $5 million, but a class action lawsuit claims Beast Games left contestants injured, starving and in need of therapy

It was supposed to be their chance to realize a dream: the opportunity to win the “largest single prize in television and streaming history.”

The Beast Games.

More than 1,000 participants compete for a $5 million ($7.3 million) prize in challenges styled after YouTube’s biggest content creator, MrBeast.

But the conditions behind the scenes of the multi-million dollar production are now the subject of a class action lawsuit targeting MrBeast, Amazon and others.

The contestants claim that production monitored their medications, sleep schedules, meals and what they wore.

They claim to have been “locked in confined spaces” and placed in “dangerous” conditions without proper medical personnel.

Seizures, multiple injuries and sexual harassment are among the allegations listed in a more than 50-page legal complaint.

“Defendants’ aforementioned actions created an environment during the Beast Games that was so devoid of humane standards that they ultimately volunteered to cover the costs of therapy for competitors,” the heavily redacted document reads.

“It was so terrible.”

MrBeast and Amazon have not commented on the complaint.

The man who built a YouTube empire ‘by studying the algorithm’

MrBeast, whose real name is James Donaldson, has made a name for himself as the biggest YouTuber on the planet.

His channel has 316 million subscribers.

Colorful vignettes and highlighted titles promise extreme stunts, cash prizes and giveaways.

“I built Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.”

“I spent 50 hours buried alive.”

“I saved 100 dogs from death.”

“I gave an island to my 100,000,000th subscriber.”

Supermarkets sell MrBeast chocolate bars. An online store sells MrBeast clothing, notebooks, pencils, hats, footballs, skateboards and stickers.

Earlier this year, thousands of people gathered at the Sydney Opera House to watch the film, shot 26 years ago, which features 10 cars being offered on the forecourt.

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The content has a high production value and a consistent trend rate, which Donaldson says is deliberate.

But his most popular video to date remains his 2021 recreation of the hit Netflix series Squid Game, which has been viewed over 650 million times.

In the South Korean TV series, 456 struggling people compete in survival games for a prize of more than $55 million.

Recreating the competition cost more than $3.5 million, including the $1.5 million in cash promised to the winners.

Instead of being killed, remotely activated devices attached to each competitor simulated a shot to the stomach.

Three years later, in March 2024, Amazon and Mr Donaldson announced a reality TV show inspired by MrBeast’s videos.

Mr. Donaldson would serve as host and executive producer.

“My goal is to create the best show possible and prove that YouTubers and creators can succeed on other platforms,” he said at the time.

“Amazon has given me the creative control I need to try to make my project a reality.

Four months later, filming began in the US state of Nevada.

Allegations of hours spent in ‘confined spaces’ under ‘total control’

In July, the contestants arrived at Allegiant Stadium, a domed arena that houses the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and can seat more than 65,000 people.

Some competitors said they were told 1,000 people would compete for the prize money, but in reality there were only 2,000 in the arena.

A MrBeast spokesperson told the New York Times that the 2,000 competitors would be reduced to the 1,000 announced for the Amazon show.

They said the video was not being shot for the Amazon Prime show, but for a first trial run, in which the winners would compete in the real Beast Games.

“Once accepted… applicants were required to put their lives on hold… to provide work exclusively to Defendants in exchange for compensation and a chance to win a $5 million prize on Beast Games,” the complaint reads.

Details of the agreements signed by the candidates were redacted from the documents.

The complaint alleges that they were told they would be paid and were not allowed to accept other employment while on the show.

She also claims they were “intentionally” and “wrongly” classified as something other than employees.

At the start of filming, they were apparently under “total control” of the production.

“Defendants exercised complete control over the manner, means, and timing of the work performed by the contestants, controlling essentially every aspect of their lives during the production of the show,” the complaint states.

“The defendants required the candidates to be physically present on specific dates and times, 24 hours a day, at locations dictated, controlled and supervised by (the defendants).”

There are claims they were not given enough food, with one woman telling the New York Times she went more than 20 hours without being fed.

Others told the newspaper that the meals were small and sporadic: one reportedly consisted of “cold oatmeal, a hard-boiled egg and a few pieces of raw vegetables.”

They also claimed that MrBeast chocolate bars were handed out in order to film contestants eating and praising the candy.

A spokesperson for MrBeast said contestants were offered three meals a day.

Few details have been made public about the nature of the production.

The class action lawsuit alleges “unsafe conditions” and a lack of background checks.

“Even without considering the conditions of confidentiality that existed behind closed doors during the filming of the Beast Games, the competitors were subjected to dangerous conditions in the course of their work,” it reads.

“The danger was further exacerbated by the defendants’ apparent failure to conduct background checks (redacted).

“According to information received and belief, there were not enough medical personnel to treat potential and actual injuries during production.

“Several injuries have been reported.”

The complaint cites allegations made by local media and other YouTubers that candidates were admitted to hospital “due to lack of food and water” and that candidates were exposed to inappropriate behavior.

Allegations of ‘boys will be boys’ reign behind the scenes

One woman, identified in the complaint as Contestant 5, said in a statement to Variety that she signed up to produce MrBeast because “his videos made me smile during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“And as a woman, I can say that we really felt like it was a hostile environment.

“Honestly, we couldn’t have been less respected – as people, let alone as employees – if they had tried.”

The complaint includes a copy of a purported “MrBeast employee manual,” titled “How to Succeed in a MrBeast Production.”

The document was first published online in August by YouTube creator Rosanna Pansino.

The complaint alleges that it “provides insight into the working conditions of the future boys” which they say were promoted behind the scenes of the production.

The authenticity of the document has not been confirmed by Mr Donaldson himself.

In a section titled “It’s OK for Boys to Be Childish,” employees are encouraged to “do whatever they can to empower boys while filming and help them create content.”

“If the talent wants to draw a dick on the whiteboard in the video or do something stupid, let them do it,” it reads.

“Help them be idiots.”

Specific allegations of sexual harassment made by candidates have been redacted.

However, the documents refer to “collective sexual harassment”, “serious embarrassment” and a “hostile environment” faced by the candidates.

“At all relevant times…defendants’ management, including senior management and owners, had actual and/or constructive knowledge that the violence and sexual harassment described herein was occurring in the workplace,” it reads.

Lawyer says MrBeast ‘must and will’ be held accountable

There is no public release date for Beast Games.

The 1,000 participants who successfully completed filming in Nevada were due to film the next leg of the competition in Canada in early August.

A spokesperson for MrBeast declined to comment when contacted by media.

The class action lawsuit against Beast Games was filed on September 16 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Robert Pafundi, lead attorney for those involved in the class action, told Variety: “The participants entered into contracts and were promised compensation for their services.

“Their expectation of compensation, combined with the fact that they are constantly under the control and supervision of production personnel, makes them employees under California law.

“As such, they were entitled to certain protections, which were denied to them.

“And when you add to that the extreme neglect, degradation, harassment and inhumane conditions, it is simply a massive dereliction of duty, for which the defendants must and will now be held accountable.”