After months of hype, teases, and scandals, Amazon’s Beast Games are finally coming out. Created by the one and only Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, the reality show is allegedly one of the largest in history. According to the YouTuber, over $100 million was spent on production. With so much on the line, Donaldson has been hard at work promoting the 10-part series. He’s been traveling worldwide and hosting streams in his version of a press tour.
Amazon shared with me that they would not be giving out screeners for the show. This is very rare since they usually want to promote as much content as possible before release.
Promoting The Beast Games With Influencers Instead of Media
Instead, Beast Games is focusing on influencer collabs and IRL meetups. It’s possible this is to try and prevent more people from finding out just how controversial the show’s production was. Influencers don’t ask questions.
On Friday, Donaldson made a surprise appearance in New York City’s Times Square with the show’s five million dollar cash prize. The money then continued its way around the world. The money appeared in tourist spots in Berlin, Sydney, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, and Toronto.
The hype train kept chugging when, on Monday, Donaldson posted a brain rot medley of collaborations with TikTok influencers. It featured the Costco Guys, a Timothee Chalemet lookalike winner, and, of course, the Rizzler. Interestingly enough, Donaldson shot the video in one of realtor Ryan Serhant’s listings. Serhant made a video giving him a tour.
The whole thing reeked of trying to squeeze a viral moment from their last bit of clout and relevancy. But that is what advertising is these days when the Hawk Tuah girl is busy.
Enter the FaZe Clan
Donaldson’s biggest collaboration happened on Tuesday when he created a challenge for the fans of FaZe Clan. FaZe Clan is a controversial esports organization with over 11 million followers. Donaldson has been a fan of FaZe for years, making fan compilations in the early days of his channel. At one point, he even tried to join the organization.
In the two-hour stream, Donaldson sent out five FaZe members to different locations in Los Angeles. If fans shared a secret codeword (shocker it was “Beast Games”) they would be brought back to play a game.
Sitting on a couch flanked by Banks and other FaZe members, Donaldson would occasionally ask about the stream’s views and tell his audience, “Somebody clip that. I want to see it on TikTok.” Unfortunately, clips of the stream are scarce, with only one moment getting shared with a modicum of interest.
While the contestants were being introduced, FaZe Banks knocked food out of clan member FaZe Jason’s hand. Donaldson was on a schedule and had no time for interruptions. Banks was kicked out of the studio. “I need you off (the) set,” Donaldson said, seeming genuinely aggravated.
The game itself, a briefcase guessing game to see who can bluff their way into $100,000, ended in the first round. While wrapping up with his speech to promote the Beast Games, a FaZe member shouted out Feastables, to Donaldson’s chagrin. “We are promoting Beast Games, not Feastables, he barked.”
The tour is far from over, with contestants telling me that they’ll have a premiere in Los Angeles tonight.
When the show premieres worldwide tomorrow, Donaldson will stream on his Twitch channel for the first time since 2019. As someone who has covered Donaldson for a very long time but only has a paradoxical relationship, I know he will go to any lengths to have his show become a success.
