The Challenge is the MTV reality competition in which contestants complete missions while trying to avoid elimination.
The series brings together cast members from MTV’s The Real World and Road Rules, along with contestants from later reality programs. Participants compete in physical, strategic, and social challenges, with eliminations determining who remains in the game.
The show began as a spinoff called Road Rules: All Stars in 1998. It later used the title Real World/Road Rules Challenge before adopting the shorter name The Challenge. This history is why older descriptions may use a different title for early seasons.
The format has changed repeatedly. Seasons have used pairs, teams, individual play, special twists, international casts, and returning champions. Despite those changes, missions followed by elimination rounds have remained central to the program’s identity.