How Much Money Did Mr. Beast Make From His Massive Squid Game Video?

There are three things that everyone on the internet is aware of: That "Squid Game" exists, that MrBeast exists at least as much as "Squid Game," and that genuine Ray-Ban sunglasses can be purchased for pennies on the dollar via totally legitimate-looking Facebook tags. Here, we focus on the first two things.

Netflix sensation "Squid Game" and YouTube juggernaut MrBeast are natural peanut butters to one another's chocolate, with each providing hours of social experimentation viewing pleasure that leave audiences feeling morally wibbly. When the gentleman Beast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, released a video called "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life," he was destined to get a substantial response. Five days after the project went live, it has garnered a mindblowing 125 million views. As a point of reference, the video that you posted of your cat getting scared of a gherkin six years ago still has a view count in the double digits.

Most content creators can only dream of hitting the hundred million view mark, and probably have no idea how much cheddar that kind of success brings home. Does this mean that MrBeast can finally retire to one of those hotel beds covered in money from the movies? The short answer: Probably not.

MrBeast has explained in the past that he spends a remarkable amount of money on his main channel videos, and the "Squid Game" experience was no exception — in the video, he estimates that the whole thing cost $3.5 million. With that in mind, Hubspot estimates higher-end CPM earnings between $7 and $10. The CPM rate measures the average earnings per 1,000 views, so if Hubspot's ballpark approximations are correct, the YouTuber would be looking at a payout of between $875,000 and $1.25 million from ad content. This doesn't take into account paid promotions and sponsorships, but it does make a six- to seven-figure pay day feel a little less exciting.

Additionally, even if he does manage to outpace the astonishing cost of his 26-minute YouTube video, the content creator has been clear about his financial priorities. Describing his profit margins as "razor thin" in a September interview on the "Impaulsive" podcast, Donaldson stated that what little money he does make after expenses goes right back into making new videos. It's the sort of approach to finances that leads lots of people to wind up playing deadly versions of playground games in exchange for debt forgiveness. Still, maybe someone will come along and offer to pay off the whole thing if MrBeast can fit it in a circle.