Beast Games: Behind The Scenes At MrBeast’s Over-The-Top Beast City
MrBeast's groundbreaking reality show, Beast Games, just finished season 1 on Amazon Prime Video, but fans can't get enough of the show's more stunning aspects, like the record-breaking cash prize and the custom city, Beast City, that was built specifically for the series. MrBeast is no stranger to extravagance, as he originally shot to fame on YouTube for his videos that featured various high-stakes challenges and million-dollar giveaways. Beast Games is MrBeast's first foray into reality TV, and based on its success, it certainly won't be the last.
MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, spared no expense when it came to Beast Games, as it was a chance to prove that his social media success could translate to an episodic reality show. The show pitted 1,000 contestants against each other in a series of nail-biting challenges, tests of strategy, and feats. All wanted to be named the winner. In a last-minute twist, the original prize pot of $5 million was doubled to $10 million. A single player, Beast Games' Jeffrey Randall Allen, Player 831, ended up choosing the correct suitcase that contained the prize check, winning it all.
Where Is Beast City Located?
Beast City Was Built In Toronto Near An Abandoned Airport
Beast Cityis a sprawling, self-contained city that serves as the set of Beast Games and houses up to 500 contestants. Construction on the set began in Toronto in August 2024. The CBC reported that the set is "a massive compound containing what looked like a walled-off miniature town, complete with a line of identical houses." The entire set was enclosed by a red wall, and according to contestant Jackson Steger, who documented his experience on his Substack, the site was "complete with sports facilities, a five-story tower, a cafe, cabin-style housing for 500, and a college-style quad, adding:
"Sleeping quarters were positioned along the edges, while common gathering spaces occupied the center. This layout was simple but clever: it encouraged natural interactions, chance meetings, and shared moments that felt organic, not forced. Connections formed while we ate breakfast, strategized in small groups, or played sports in between official challenges."
MrBeast shared photos of the custom city on X (formerly known as Twitter) late last year. The photos depicted various shots of the compound, including the five-story tower, identical yellow homes with red trim, and a rendering of the village, complete with a moat that never quite materialized. MrBeast responded to a comment on his post explaining the moat, saying "We ran out of time and didn’t get around to building the moat, but everything else is accurate."
How Much Did Beast City Cost To Build?
Beast City Cost $14 Million
MrBeast never shies away from revealing how much things cost. The production of Beast Games broke multiple world records, including for "Most Expensive Season of a Competitive Reality TV Show," at $100 million. Part of that budget is the $14 million spent on the construction of Beast City. The Instagram account TopClosings shared a post in December promoting Beast City, writing in the caption that, "Contestants are staying in dormitories with bunk beds separated by gender, the city features a cafe, basketball courts and other actives, and a massive tower where challenges are held."
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Most comments on TopClosing's post seemed critical of the auspicious project. Many wished the money could have been spent helping those less fortunate, and some pointed out the city's bleak dystopian feel. Keeping in line with "game" titles, there were also many comparisons to the Netflix show, Squid Game, and the popular book and movie franchise, The Hunger Games.
"This is weird"
"Welcome to hunger games"
"Just in time for squid games 2"
"Now imagine if all rich people did this in every city for homeless, people or for Low income housing"
"Sounds like The hunger games, except this time you dont fight for your life. But in the future, maybe! Sad reality"
What Happens To Beast City Now That Beast Games Is Wrapped
Beast City Appears To Have Been Dismantled
Now that Beast Games has wrapped production, many are wondering what will happen to the massive Beast City set. On Reddit, under a post by user Greenscreenbruhhh that inquired about the status of the set today, commenters claim the city has been dismantled. One commenter pointed out that the set could have been repurposed for those who are unhoused.
I live near Downsview park , I am pretty sure it's gone but if it isn't i'd love to know where to go to see it lol
Why did they demolish this with the money that mr beast has it could have been given to a charity for homeless ...what a waste shouldnt be allowed because you have money...sad
It’s gone.
Along with all the theatrics in the MrBeast brand, giving back is a major theme. After all, MrBeast has his own 501(c)3 organization called Beast Philanthropy, which has given away more than 42 million pounds of food. It's served more than 35 million meals, and fed more than 5 million people.
So the idea that he wouldn't give back in some way after the massive success of Beast Games would be surprising. While Beast City may be a thing of the past, AOL reported that MrBeast's rep said he "donated many of the goods used in the shoot, including mattresses, sleeping bags, and clothing, to local organizations afterward." It's wonderful that he's using his star power to help people.
Sources: CBC, Substack, MrBeast/X, TopClosings/Instagram, Beast Philanthropy, AOL
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