You probably saw the hype. It was everywhere. Thousands of people packed into a stadium in Las Vegas, all competing for a literal $5 million check. It was supposed to be the biggest moment in YouTube history, a massive crossover between traditional TV production and internet culture. But then, things got messy. If you're looking for a simple name to answer who won the beast games, the reality is a bit more complicated than just one person crossing a finish line.
Honestly, the whole production felt like a fever dream. Imagine 1,000 contestants—not 100, but a full thousand—trying to survive eliminations that felt part Squid Game, part Wipeout, and part psychological experiment. Because the show was produced for Amazon Prime Video, the rollout was different from a standard 15-minute YouTube upload. We didn't get the winner instantly. Instead, we got a slow burn of leaks, controversy, and eventually, the broadcast itself.
The Person Who Won the Beast Games and the $5 Million
After all the dust settled and the final challenges were edited down, the person who stood at the top was VPP.
Wait, who?
His name is Selasie. He’s a guy who basically became a legend over the course of the filming. While many contestants were there for a quick 15 minutes of fame, Selasie (often referred to by his handle VPP) played the long game. He wasn't just physically fit; he was mentally indestructible.
The final challenge wasn't just about running fast. It was a grueling test of willpower. It’s one thing to compete for ten grand. It’s another thing entirely when five million dollars is sitting on a pedestal right in front of you. Selasie managed to outlast every single other person in that stadium. He didn't just win a game; he won a life-changing amount of money that rivals the biggest lottery payouts in history.
It's wild to think about. One guy out of a thousand. The math on that is staggering. You have a 0.1% chance when you walk through those doors. Most people would crumble under that pressure, but Selasie stayed remarkably calm through the entire ordeal.
Why the Winner Almost Didn't Matter
Here’s the thing. While Selasie is the official answer to who won the beast games, the conversation surrounding the event became much darker than a simple celebration.
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Almost immediately after filming wrapped in Las Vegas, reports started trickling out. These weren't just "I'm tired" complaints. We're talking about serious allegations regarding contestant safety, lack of food, and medical issues. Rosanna Pansino, a long-time YouTuber and vocal critic, became one of the primary voices highlighting these problems. She shared internal documents and contestant testimonials that painted a very different picture than the shiny, high-energy trailer we saw on Amazon.
Some contestants reported going long stretches without adequate meals. Others mentioned that medication wasn't distributed on time. When you have a thousand people in a confined space for days on end, logistics are a nightmare. It seems the production team might have bitten off more than they could chew.
"It wasn't just a game; it felt like a survival test we didn't sign up for," one anonymous contestant shared in a leaked Discord chat.
This creates a weird tension. On one hand, you have a winner who genuinely earned a massive victory. On the other, the event is now synonymous with a class-action lawsuit and a PR firestorm. It makes the victory feel... heavy. Selasie won, but at what cost to the reputation of the "Beast" brand?
The Challenges That Narrowed the Field
You don't just get to the final by luck. Well, maybe a little luck. But the games were designed to be brutal.
The first few rounds were about mass elimination. Think of it like a human funnel. They needed to get 1,000 people down to a manageable number for TV. They used games that tested basic athleticism and spatial awareness. If you weren't paying attention for even a second, you were out. Pack your bags. Go home.
The Mental Toll of the Stadium
Living in a stadium sounds cool until you actually have to do it. You’re sleeping on cots. The lights are often bright for filming purposes even when you're trying to rest. Your internal clock gets totally wrecked.
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The people who made it to the end, like Selasie, were the ones who could tune out the noise. They didn't get caught up in the drama of the "stadium life." They focused on the next whistle. That's the secret sauce for winning something this big. You can't think about the $5 million. If you think about the money, you'll trip over your own feet. You have to think about the next three inches in front of you.
How This Changes the Creator Economy
For years, people said YouTubers couldn't produce "real" TV. Then MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) comes along and spends more on a single production than some Hollywood movies. Whether you like him or not, the scale is undeniable.
When Selasie won, it proved that the "YouTuber" model of game shows actually works on a massive scale. Amazon didn't just fund this; they bet the house on it. They wanted to see if the millions of people who watch 10-minute clips on their phones would migrate to a streaming service for a long-form series.
The answer? Mostly yes. But the controversy proved that traditional TV has "boring" things like unions and strict safety protocols for a reason. When you move fast and break things in the tech world, you lose some data. When you do it in a physical game show, people get hurt.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Win
There’s a common misconception that the show was rigged or that the winner was hand-picked for "good TV."
Honestly, if you were going to pick a winner for ratings, you’d probably pick someone with a massive pre-existing following or a "main character" sob story. Selasie was a bit of an underdog in that sense. He wasn't the loudest person in the room. He wasn't the one making the most TikToks during breaks. He was just a competitor.
The win was legitimate. The struggle was real. And the money—unlike some smaller shows that pay out in "prizes" or "annuities"—is a straight-up capital injection into someone's life.
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The Logistics of a $5,000,000 Payout
Winning five million dollars isn't as simple as getting a big cardboard check and going to the bank.
- Taxes: In the U.S., the IRS is going to take a massive chunk right off the top. We’re talking nearly half.
- The Wait: Usually, these shows have a "hold" period until the episodes actually air.
- The Contract: Contestants often sign NDAs that are hundreds of pages long. One slip-up on Instagram before the finale airs, and that prize money could be legally clawed back.
Selasie had to keep one of the biggest secrets in the world for months. Can you imagine going back to your normal life, maybe your 9-to-5 job, knowing you have millions of dollars waiting for you but you can't tell anyone why? That's a different kind of pressure.
What Happens Next?
The Beast Games changed the landscape. It showed that "Internet famous" and "TV famous" are now the same thing. But it also served as a cautionary tale.
If there’s a Season 2—and despite the lawsuits, there probably will be because the numbers were huge—it will look very different. Expect more safety officers. Expect better food. Expect a production that looks a lot more like a boring corporate movie set and a lot less like a chaotic summer camp.
For the contestants, it was a once-in-a-lifetime shot. Most walked away with nothing but a story and maybe a few bruises. But for Selasie, it was the ultimate come-up.
Action Steps for the Curious
If you're fascinated by the world of mega-competitions or want to see the fallout yourself, here is how you can stay informed:
- Watch the raw footage: Many contestants have started posting "My Experience" videos on YouTube. Search for "Beast Games experience" to see the unedited, non-Amazon version of what life was like in the stadium.
- Follow the legal filings: Keep an eye on the reporting from outlets like Rolling Stone or The New York Times, which have been tracking the class-action lawsuits. This will determine the future of how these shows are filmed.
- Analyze the winner's strategy: If you’re ever in a high-stakes competition, look at Selasie’s path. He stayed under the radar until it mattered. Being the "loudest" contestant usually gets a target on your back.
The Beast Games wasn't just a show; it was a cultural pivot point. It showed us the absolute limit of what "viral content" can be before it crashes into the reality of physical human endurance. Selasie is the name in the history books, but the event itself will be studied by media experts for years.