Squid Game Finale Sparks Controversy with Claims of Being Rigged
Squid Game: The Challenge finale sparks controversy as viewers accuse it of being rigged, dividing opinions on the thrilling and suspenseful conclusion
Many viewers eagerly anticipate the finale of Squid Game: The Challenge, while some believe that the final games are rigged. Tonight, the epic conclusion of Squid Game: The Challenge resulted in one winner taking home the largest cash prize in reality TV history - $4.56 million - after whittling down 456 players.
The Netflix series has faced its fair share of controversies, with viewers criticizing it for missing the point of the original Squid Game and players expressing concerns about troubling set conditions during Red Light, Green Light. Now that the highly anticipated last episode has finally arrived, some viewers are growing suspicious. Warning: spoilers ahead for Squid Game: The Challenge finale!
Squid Game: The Challenge viewers slam “rigged” finale
While some of the games, especially in the earlier part of the series, relied heavily on skill – like Dalgona and Warships – a significant number of challenges were left to luck. This was particularly evident in the final round.
Only two out of three players – Sam (016), Mai (287), and Phill (451) – could make it to the final round. For the penultimate game, they had to simply pick a button at random. They were told that one button would go green, meaning whoever presses it can pick another player to go into the final with them, another would go grey, which has no consequences, and one would go red, meaning whoever presses it is eliminated.
Netflix
Mai is the first to go, her button turns grey. Sam is up next, his button turns red and he’s eliminated. The reliance on luck in these rounds has left many viewers feeling frustrated. Venting on Reddit, one user questioned the fairness of the games, stating, "These chance games must be rigged, right? Should we just trust Netflix?" Another user agreed, saying, "I wish it was more based on skill."
“Do you guys agree that the buttons were rigged?” questioned a third person, to which a fourth person replied, “For sure! They wouldn’t have made the first one red because then the suspense would be gone and the 'game' would be over. I also think the key was rigged. They obviously wouldn’t have let the very first key open it... that would end the episode in a boring way.”
Another commenter chimed in, saying, “Absolutely. I knew the first button would be neutral to make the next button push more risky. I thought the next one would be green to create a suspenseful moment, but I can see why it was probably rigged to be red. The last 2 contestants who made it were clearly a more interesting final face off. I think a lot of things in the show were rigged, but maybe I'm just being a conspiracy theorist.”
Netflix
A user on X/Twitter stated: "One of the frustrating aspects of Squid Game The Challenge (among others) is that the participants truly believe they are being eliminated based on random chance during certain challenges. But no, the producers are certainly making decisions to attract more viewers to the show; it's all about capitalism."
This is all speculation, but one thing's for sure - Mai is heading home with $4.56 million. Check out further details on her win here.
Squid Game: The Challenge is now available for streaming on Netflix. Explore more of our coverage below:
Editor's P/S
As a hard fan of the original Squid Game series, I was eagerly anticipating the finale of Squid Game: The Challenge. However, I must admit that I share the sentiments of those who believe that the final games were rigged. The reliance on luck, especially in the final round, left me feeling frustrated and disappointed. The fact that only two out of three players could make it to the final round and had to pick a button at random, with one button leading to elimination, seemed too convenient and predictable.
I understand that reality TV shows often incorporate elements of chance and suspense to keep viewers engaged, but in this case, it felt like the producers went too far. The whole point of the original Squid Game was that the games were designed to be fair and based on skill, which created a sense of tension and unpredictability. By introducing such a heavy reliance on luck in the final round, the show lost some of its authenticity and emotional impact.
