MrBeast, the world’s most watched YouTuber, has launched a new Saudi theme park as the kingdom intensifies its drive to become a global entertainment destination.
The online star, who surpassed one hundred billion views this month, arrived in Riyadh to open Beast Land, an attraction inspired by his videos which famously put contestants through elaborate endurance challenges for major cash prizes.
Beast Land forms part of Riyadh Season, a months long entertainment programme that has transformed the Saudi capital with near daily events ranging from boxing and slap contests to house music parties and sports competitions. For many young Saudis, such activities were unthinkable a decade ago when cinemas and concerts were effectively banned.
Lit in neon blue, the park combines rollercoasters with American Gladiator style games, including an elimination challenge in which the last person to slap a button when it lights up drops onto cushioned padding below.
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, said the kingdom was a natural choice for his latest project, noting that seventy percent of his viewers live outside the US and that Saudi Arabia offers easily accessible studio space to film his upcoming content. “I’d say give it a try, it’s much more developed than you’d think,” he said.
Saudi Arabia has attracted several international stars in recent years with lucrative offers, most notably Cristiano Ronaldo, whose deal with Al Nassr is estimated at more than two hundred million dollars.
MrBeast has not been without controversy. In May, Mexican authorities filed a lawsuit against a company they said worked with him after he filmed a video at the country’s ancient Maya pyramids.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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