MrBeast launches ‘Beast Land’ theme park in Saudi Arabia

MrBeast, the world’s most-followed YouTuber with over 450 million subscribers, has unveiled a limited-time amusement park in Riyadh, marking his latest venture beyond the digital realm.

The new attraction, called Beast Land, opened Thursday and will remain active until December 27 as part of Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia’s major annual festival aimed at positioning the capital as a global entertainment destination. The park features interactive, obstacle-based challenges inspired by MrBeast’s viral videos, where contestants typically compete for large cash prizes.

“The majority of our audience is outside of North America and we have a large concentration of people who watch our videos in the Middle East,” MrBeast told Agence France-Presse (AFP) during his visit to the Saudi capital.

“A lot of times when we do stuff, we do it in the West or in other places and I just really wanted to do something fun for our fans who live around here,” he added.

The 27-year-old content creator, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, shared a video from the park’s entrance, a massive blue tiger’s head illuminated with lightning-bolt eyes and neon lights, echoing his signature branding. “This thing is the craziest thing that I’ve ever done, I can’t wait for you guys to experience this,” he said in the clip.

Known for his large-scale stunts and philanthropic challenges, MrBeast has amassed more followers across his platforms than the entire population of the United States. His massive reach makes him a prime draw for Saudi Arabia’s efforts to engage young audiences, with more than 75 percent of the kingdom’s population under 35.

The country’s high smartphone (98 percent) and internet (98 percent) penetration rates also make it one of the most connected nations globally, a fact not lost on international influencers and media companies eyeing its youth market.

While Riyadh’s entertainment ambitions continue to grow, including projects like Qiddiya, an upcoming “entertainment city” with theme parks and a racetrack, human rights groups have accused Saudi Arabia of using celebrity appearances to gloss over its rights record.

MrBeast, named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in 2023, has an estimated net worth of around USD 500 million, according to Forbes.