Inside YouTuber MrBeast’s real-life Squid Game – the viral video recreated the Netflix hit, cost US$3.5 million to make and featured a US$456,000 prize – but why the Twitter criticism?

Nov 30 , 2021

YouTube star MrBeast’s recreation of Squid Game was a viral hit. Photos: @mrbeast/Instagram, MrBeast/Captured from Youtube

YouTuber James Steven Donaldson – more popularly known as MrBeast – has over 80 million subscribers on YouTube. He is known for his extravagant video ideas, which usually involve giving away large sums of money. In the past, he has hosted competitions featuring prizes such as Lamborghinis, houses and even a private island.

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The 23-year-old social media star’s latest video is his most ambitious – and expensive – project yet. Following the release of hit Netflix show Squid Game, he took it upon himself to rebuild the entire set and host the game in real life (but without the killing part). The video features 456 participants and a prize of US$456,000 for the winner. In its entirety, the production cost Donaldson around US$3.5 million to put together.

So exactly how did he do it, and did the internet love it – or hate it?

Most trending video on YouTube

According to Donaldson, his YouTube rendition of Squid Game received over 42 million views in the first 24 hours of its release and also began trending on the social media platform. The following three days saw the views count skyrocket to over 100 million. Creator Jon Youshaei noted that this was almost as many views as the actual Squid Games series received during its first month on Netflix.

Renowned personalities such as KSI, Logan Paul and Zedd have since showered Donaldson with praise for his ambitious project.

Built to scale?

Youtuber MrBeast recreated the Netflix hit Squid Game in a video. Photo: @MrBeast/Twitter

Donaldson had to make slight changes to the games to fit his format. As the participants had already watched Squid Game, they wouldn’t be caught off guard if presented with the exact same challenges.

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In the second game – where players had to carve a shape out of a biscuit – Donaldson’s participants weren’t allowed to pick the shape that they would be carving. In the fourth, participants were forced to pair up with their best friends in a game of marbles. At the end, only one person from each pair would have the opportunity to go to the next round.

MrBeast’s YouTube rendition of Squid Game included a musical chairs game. Photo: MrBeast

Finally, the show’s namesake Squid Game was replaced with musical chairs to determine the final winner among the top players that remained.

Everyone’s a winner

Losing participants in MrBeast’s YouTube recreation of Squid Game all got US$2,000. Photo: @mrbeast/Instagram

The losing participants in Donaldson’s recreation didn’t meet the same ill-fated ends as those in the Netflix show. In fact, Donaldson rewarded all 456 people who agreed to be a part of his video. At the end of each round, the losers walked away with US$2,000 each. After the second game, Donaldson even offered the remaining players US$4,000 to forfeit their right to keep playing.

The grand prize of US$456,000 was reserved for one person only. At the end of an intense round of musical chairs between players 079 and 330, the former walked away almost half a million dollars richer. Runner-up Player 330 was rewarded US$10,000 for making it to the end.

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Can’t please them all

MrBeast came under fire on Twitter for his YouTube video recreation of Squid Game. Photo: @mrbeast/Instagram

Despite all the attention and fans Donaldson’s video has garnered, Twitter users have also called him out for missing the point of the show. Donaldson has been criticised for spending such a large amount of money recreating a show which, at its core, is a commentary on poverty and wealth disparity. Many have replied to a tweet where he reveals his budget and questioned why he doesn’t use the money for charitable causes instead.

Donaldson hasn’t addressed such criticisms directly yet. Others have spoken in his favour, citing his ongoing philanthropy efforts such as Team Seas, wherein the YouTuber has committed to removing a pound of trash from the ocean for every dollar that is donated. This comes after the success of his Team Trees project. Team Trees followed a similar concept and has led to over 23 million trees being planted, according to the project’s website.

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YouTubers

The recreation of the K-drama game earned more than 100 million views in four days, plus praise from influencers KSI, Logan Paul and Zedd
Some social media users called out the video’s extravagant cost while others rushed to MrBeast’s defence, highlighting his philanthropic efforts Team Seas and Team Trees