MrBeast and thriller writer James Patterson's new co-authored novel, The Most Dangerous Games, appears to be struggling badly ahead of its release, according to a Semafor report citing anonymous sources close to the project. The book pairs two of publishing and social media's biggest names, but weak early demand raises questions about whether the tie-up can justify its costs, given the substantial fees both men reportedly commanded.

Presales were said to number only in the "four digits" as of last week, described as a tiny fraction of what publisher HarperCollins would need to break even, and by Monday the title sat at No. 18 on Amazon's new releases chart. The novel follows a deadly global competition in which contestants face lethal challenges across locations including Antarctica and Chile for a $1 billion prize. Donaldson, who has 515 million YouTube subscribers, has promoted the book heavily online, including offering a $1 million giveaway tied to reading it, while HarperCollins has not yet responded to a request for comment.