MrBeast is reportedly struggling to generate momentum for his debut book.
The Most Dangerous Games, a thriller co-written by Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson and bestselling author James Patterson, is reportedly seeing lackluster presales, according to some reports.
Semafor’s initial report said the $35 hardcover was “on track to be a historic bomb,” citing preorder figures in the low thousands. This would fall hard on publisher HarperCollins, which would need to justify the hefty fees it likely paid to secure the high-profile co-authors.
However, a senior publishing source speaking directly to IGN disputed the narrative, confirming that presale numbers are tracking appropriately for a debut novel and are “beyond four digits.”
The book has also reached No. 18 on Amazon’s overall new releases list and No. 1 among mystery novels.
To boost sales, Donaldson is promising buyers a chance to win $1 million. It remains to be seen whether his younger fanbase will buy the book after launch.
He is also aiming to attract viewers of all ages.
The novel follows 100 strangers competing in Squid Game-like deadly global challenges to win a billion-dollar grand prize.