Squid Game: The Challenge

Did You Know?

• The show boosted the original drama Squid Game to number seven on Netflix's Non-English TV list with 1.5 million views in its second week.
• Approximately 81,000 people applied to be contestants for the first season.
• Season 2 featured a Second Chance Fan Vote that allowed Player 152 Viper to return for Season 3.

Season 3: The VIP Challenge

The third season, retitled Squid Game: The VIP Challenge, has been confirmed but no official release date has been announced. It will feature 8 celebrity VIP players: Ryan Serhant, Tristan Thompson, Mel B, Kristy Sarah, Kim Zolciak, Hannah Godwin, Dylan Efron, and Season 2 returnee Player 152 Viper, who won the Second Chance Fan Vote to return.

Production

Netflix ordered the series in June 2022, and applications opened that same month with a YouTube announcement video. Contestants had to be English-speaking, and a final casting call in September 2022 drew approximately 81,000 applicants. The series claims the largest cast in reality TV history with 456 players, most of whom are from the United States, in their 20s, and male. Filming for the first season began in January 2023 at Cardington Studios in Bedford and six sound stages at The Wharf Studios in Barking, London. Reports emerged of injuries during filming, with players claiming that the game "Red Light, Green Light" lasted seven hours and required holding poses for up to 30 minutes. Netflix denied the severity, stating injuries were mild, and the local ambulance service said it had not been called to the studios. Britain's Health and Safety Executive evaluated the production and found no actionable issues. Two unnamed players threatened to sue Netflix, claiming they suffered hypothermia. Four contestants alleged the games were rigged and filming conditions poor, including playing in an unheated hangar for over nine hours, players reaching the finish line but still being eliminated, and an eliminated player rejoining the game.

Reception

In its release week of 20–26 November 2023, the show was the most-watched globally on Netflix with 85.7 million hours, reaching number one in 74 countries. It stayed number one the following week with 11.4 million views and 85 million hours watched, and was in the Top 10 in 91 countries. In its third week, it placed third globally with 6.6 million views and 54.1 million hours viewed. Critical reception was mixed: on Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a 45% approval rating from 44 reviews, with an average score of 5.8/10, and the critics' consensus called it addictive but soulless. Metacritic gave a score of 52 out of 100 from 22 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews. Positive assessments came from Newsweek, the Financial Times, the Radio Times, and Vulture, with the latter calling it morally righteous. The Guardian's Rebecca Nicholson described it as a grandiose, addictive spectacle.