MrBeast responds to backlash as he releases his first book with legendary author

He's the most-subscribed YouTuber in the world, launched numerous companies, and headed up Amazon's Beast Games, but few would've guessed what's next for Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson. Having already conquered many mountains, can MrBeast conquer the world of literature?

While we're not quite sure MrBeast is going to be the next Stephen King, he's just announced his debut novel, called The Most Dangerous Games.

You might expect MrBeast to release some tell-all confessional about how he became the biggest guy on YouTube or how he reached his billionaire status, but instead, it's a gritty thriller written alongside the iconic James Patterson.

Basically playing out as a fictionalized version of Beast Games with a dash of Squid Game and Battle Royale thrown in for good measure, The Most Dangerous Games tosses 1,000 strangers into a gruelling competition where only 100 will make the cut. This (un)lucky group is then sent to Antarctica for the first phase of this deadly competition, where only one will walk away with the prize fund...and their life.

MrBeast responds to The Most Dangerous Games controversy

Donaldson himself appears in the novel, while he's been promoting the book with a chance to win $1 million in real life.

Still, that's not enough to avoid a deluge of backlash, with many turning their attention to the fact that Patterson has written the book. The harshest critics have called it "the most ghostwritten book of all time."

It probably wasn't helped when Donaldson made a post promoting the book and explained how he wasn't a fan of reading when he was younger.

In a now-viral post, MrBeast admitted he found books 'boring' when growing up, although he added the caveat of: "I just didn’t read anything that actually interested me. Which is why I teamed up with James Patterson to write The Most Dangerous Games!"

He went on to explain his hopes that this might be the first book that some people read and actually enjoy, but for Donaldson, it seems the message was lost in the sauce.

Freelance writer Alex Bronzini-Vender shared his frustration on X and sniped: "'Nobody had managed to make books interesting before I wrote one.' Hell yeah dude."

This landed on MrBeast's radar, who defended himself and the book by adding: "Not what I said. I actually really enjoy Walter Isaacson’s biographies and The Goal. Just didn’t have exposure to that kind of stuff when I was younger."

How is The Most Dangerous Games tracking?

There were early reports that The Most Dangerous Games was flopping with pre-orders numbering just four figures, although The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to publisher HarperCollins for clarification.

Anonymous sources 'close to the project' told Semafor that MrBeast's first book is “on track to be a historic bomb."

If the four-figure pre-order number is to be believed, it's said that it would be just a 'tiny fraction' of what HarperCollins would need to cover the substantial fees of Patterson and Donaldson.

Speaking to THR, another source claimed that this number of pre-orders isn't unusual for a genre novel, also maintaining its No. 1 on the mystery novels list.

At the time of writing, The Most Dangerous Games sits at No. 15 on Amazon's best sellers list, coming behind Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

We've also double-checked where it is on the 'Mystery, Thriller & Suspense' rankings, currently sitting at No. 18. In terms of new releases, it's also at No. 6, although it is No. 1 in 'Men's Adventure Fiction'.

The writing (so to speak) is on the wall for The Most Dangerous Games, but MrBeast seems happy with his literary debut.