History of MrBeast in Timeline
James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, known as MrBeast, is a prominent American YouTuber, media personality, and businessman recognized for his engaging YouTube videos featuring elaborate challenges and substantial charitable donations. He holds the record for the most subscribers on YouTube, boasting over 360 million, and a significant presence on TikTok, Instagram and X.
May 7, 1998: James Donaldson Born
On May 7, 1998, James Stephen Donaldson, known as MrBeast, was born in Wichita, Kansas.
February 2012: First YouTube Upload
In February 2012, Donaldson uploaded his first YouTube video under the channel name "MrBeast6000".
2012: Started Posting on YouTube
In 2012, Donaldson began posting videos on YouTube under the name MrBeast6000, with content ranging from Let's Plays to estimating the wealth of other YouTubers.
2015: Gained Popularity with 'Worst Intros on YouTube'
In 2015, Donaldson gained popularity with his "Worst Intros on YouTube" series.
2016: Graduated High School
In 2016, Donaldson graduated from Greenville Christian Academy.
2016: Dropped out of College
In late 2016, Donaldson dropped out of college to pursue a full-time career as a YouTuber.
January 2017: Publishes Counting to 100,000 Video
In January 2017, Donaldson published a video of himself counting to 100,000, which became his breakthrough viral video.
2017: Counting to 100,000 Video Goes Viral
In 2017, Donaldson went viral after his "counting to 100,000" video gained tens of thousands of views in a few days, marking a turning point in his YouTube career.
February 2018: Employee Allegations Emerge
In February 2018, Matt Turner, a former editor, began experiencing alleged mistreatment, including verbal abuse, during his employment with Donaldson.
May 2018: The Atlantic Publishes Article on Homophobic Slurs
In May 2018, The Atlantic published an article on Donaldson's history of using homophobic slurs.
2018: YouTube's Biggest Philanthropist
By 2018, Donaldson had given away $1 million through his stunts, earning him the title "YouTube's biggest philanthropist".
2018: Supported PewDiePie
During the PewDiePie vs. T-Series rivalry in 2018, Donaldson bought billboards and advertisements to help PewDiePie gain more subscribers than T-Series.
2018: PewDiePie Rewind Inspiration
In 2018, Donaldson stated that PewDiePie's Rewind was the inspiration for Donaldson's Rewind.
March 2019: Organized Real-Life Battle Royale
In March 2019, Donaldson organized and filmed a real-life battle royale competition in Los Angeles with prizes totaling $200,000 in collaboration with Apex Legends.
September 2019: Editor Matt Turner Leaves
In September 2019, Matt Turner left his position as an editor after working for Donaldson, claiming he was regularly not credited for his work.
October 2019: Planting trees for #TeamTrees campaign.
In October 2019, The Arbor Day Foundation began planting trees in the U.S. national parks.
October 2019: Turner's Twitter thread
In October 2019, Turner released a now-deleted Twitter thread describing negative experiences while working for Donaldson.
October 25, 2019: #TeamTrees Fundraising Challenge Announced
On October 25, 2019, Donaldson and Mark Rober announced #TeamTrees, a fundraising challenge to raise $20 million for the Arbor Day Foundation by January 1, 2020.
November 23, 2019: Accusations of Using Counterfeit Money
On November 23, 2019, Donaldson was accused of using counterfeit money in his "I Opened A FREE BANK" video, later explaining it was for safety concerns.
2019: Started dating Maddy Spidell
Donaldson started dating YouTuber Maddy Spidell in 2019.
January 1, 2020: #TeamTrees Goal Deadline
The original deadline for the #TeamTrees campaign to raise $20 million was January 1, 2020.
April 2020: Created Rock, Paper, Scissors Competition
In April 2020, Donaldson created a rock, paper, scissors competition stream with a grand prize of $250,000, becoming YouTube's most-watched live Original event at the time.
June 2020: Released Finger on the App
In June 2020, Donaldson, in collaboration with MSCHF, released a one-time multiplayer mobile game titled Finger on the App where the last person to remove their finger from the screen wins $25,000.
September 17, 2020: Beast Philanthropy YouTube Channel Created
On September 17, 2020, Donaldson created the Beast Philanthropy YouTube channel, donating all revenue to charity.
October 2020: Hosted Influencer Trivia Tournament
In October 2020, Donaldson hosted another influencer tournament, a trivia competition with a grand prize of $300,000, which led to controversy due to cheating claims.
November 2020: MrBeast Burger Announcement
In November 2020, it was announced that Donaldson would launch a virtual restaurant called MrBeast Burger in December 2020.
December 2020: Finger on the App 2 Planned Launch
Finger on the App 2 was planned to initially launch in December 2020 but was postponed.
December 2020: Launch of MrBeast Burger
In December 2020, Donaldson launched MrBeast Burger, a virtual restaurant concept, in collaboration with Virtual Dining Concepts.
2020: YouTube Rewind 2020 Inspiration
In 2020, Donaldson stated that he had always believed that YouTubers should get more say in Rewind.
2020: Streamy Award Creator of the Year
In 2020, Donaldson won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards.
2020: Forbes Celebrity 100 Comparison
In 2020, Forbes stated that his income in 2021 would have placed him 40th in the 2020 Forbes Celebrity 100, earning as much money as Vin Diesel and Lewis Hamilton did in 2020.
2020: Franklin Leaves MrBeast Team
In 2020, Jake Franklin left the MrBeast crew and Karl Jacobs was promoted to take his place.
January 1, 2021: YouTube Rewind 2020 Release
On January 1, 2021, Donaldson released his "Youtube Rewind 2020, Thank God It's Over" video, calling on hundreds of other YouTubers to participate.
February 2021: Clubhouse Controversy
In February 2021, Donaldson removed entrepreneur Farokh Sarmad from a Clubhouse room, leading to allegations of racism, which were disputed by other users.
February 2021: Favorable Viewership Poll
In February 2021, a poll from Insider revealed that 70% of respondents held a favorable view of MrBeast, while only 12% expressed an unfavorable view, indicating a strong positive perception among viewers.
March 2021: Juice Funds Introduction
In March 2021, Donaldson partnered with Creative Juice to introduce Juice Funds, a $2 million investment fund for content creators.
March 2021: Finger on the App 2 Delayed
The planned release of Finger on the App 2 was further delayed to March 2021 due to server crashes caused by a flood of downloads.
April 2021: Investment and Backlash
In April 2021, Donaldson became an investor in Current and faced backlash after fans lost money in a cryptocurrency scheme he promoted.
May 2021: New York Times Article on Work Environment
In May 2021, The New York Times published an article detailing allegations from former employees about a difficult work environment under Donaldson.
October 29, 2021: #TeamSeas Fundraising Challenge Announced
On October 29, 2021, Donaldson and Rober organized #TeamSeas, a fundraising challenge to raise $30 million for ocean cleanup by January 1, 2022.
November 2021: "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!" Uploaded
In November 2021, Donaldson uploaded "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!", which became one of the most-watched YouTube videos of the year, sparking both praise and criticism.
December 2021: Hosted Influencer Tournament
In December 2021, Donaldson created a third influencer tournament featuring 15 competitors with a grand prize of $1 million.
2021: Streamy Award Creator of the Year
In 2021, Donaldson won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards.
2021: Spokesperson Response
In 2021, a spokesperson for Donaldson stated that he had "grown up and matured into someone that doesn't speak like that" regarding past homophobic slurs.
January 1, 2022: #TeamSeas Goal Deadline
The original deadline for the #TeamSeas campaign to raise $30 million was January 1, 2022.
January 2022: Feastables Launch
In January 2022, Donaldson announced the creation of Feastables, a new food company, and launched its brand of chocolate bars. The launch included a sweepstakes with over $1 million in prizes.
January 2022: Ranked as Highest-Earning Creator
In January 2022, Forbes ranked Donaldson as YouTube's highest-earning creator, with an estimated income of $54 million in 2021.
April 2022: Agnostic Theist Identification
In April 2022, Donaldson announced he had left evangelical Christianity and identified as an agnostic theist in an interview with Rolling Stone.
June 2022: Feastables Chocolate Factory Video Release
In June 2022, a video was released showing elimination challenges where the winner won the choice of a chocolate factory or a $500,000 cash prize. Michelin Star chef Gordon Ramsay was featured as a judge.
July 28, 2022: Surpassed 100 Million Subscribers
On July 28, 2022, Donaldson surpassed 100 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel.
September 4, 2022: First Physical MrBeast Burger Restaurant
On September 4, 2022, the first physical MrBeast Burger restaurant opened in the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
September 2022: Presidential Run Consideration
In September 2022, Donaldson commented on a podcast that he would consider running for president of the United States in about 20 years.
November 2022: One Billion Video Views in 30 Days
In November 2022, Donaldson achieved one billion video views over 30 days on his main YouTube channel.
November 2022: East Carolina University Partnership
In November 2022, Donaldson partnered with East Carolina University to create a YouTube content creation course.
November 17, 2022: Guinness World Record
On November 17, 2022, Donaldson achieved the Guinness World Record of "Most Subscribers for an Individual Male on YouTube" with 112 million subscribers.
December 2022: #TeamTrees Tree Planting Deadline
The original deadline for the Arbor Day Foundation to plant all the trees funded by the #TeamTrees campaign was December 2022.
2022: Started dating Thea Booysen
In 2022, Donaldson began dating gaming streamer Thea Booysen.
2022: Video Production Costs
In 2022, Donaldson reported spending about $1 million on each video, primarily funded by sponsorships.
2022: Streamy Award Creator of the Year
In 2022, Donaldson won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards and Favorite Male Creator at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
March 3, 2023: Feastables Fan Request Controversy
On March 3, 2023, Donaldson asked fans on Twitter to improve Feastables displays in stores, offering a raffle entry for proof. This led to criticism and accusations of exploiting fans for unpaid labor.
April 2023: Defense of Ava Kris Tyson
In April 2023, Donaldson defended Ava Kris Tyson against backlash after she acknowledged receiving feminizing hormone replacement therapy, and subsequently came out as a trans woman.
May 2023: Guest Judge on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars
In May 2023, Donaldson was featured as a guest judge on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars show.
June 2023: Revealed Declined Invitation to Titanic Expedition
In June 2023, after the OceanGate submersible Titan imploded, Donaldson revealed he declined an invitation to the expedition.
June 17, 2023: MrBeast Expresses Regret Over MrBeast Burger
On June 17, 2023, Donaldson expressed his wish to shut down MrBeast Burger due to quality issues and a "bad deal" with Virtual Dining Concepts.
July 31, 2023: Lawsuit Filed Against Virtual Dining Concepts
On July 31, 2023, Donaldson sued Virtual Dining Concepts, alleging damage to his reputation and non-payment, seeking to end their partnership.
October 2, 2023: Feastables Partners with Charlotte Hornets
On October 2, 2023, Feastables partnered with the Charlotte Hornets to feature the MrBeast logo on their jerseys for the 2023-24 NBA season.
October 15, 2023: Surpassed 200 Million Subscribers
On October 15, 2023, Donaldson surpassed 200 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
2023: Employs Over 250 People
As of 2023, Donaldson employs over 250 people, including writers, editors, and producers, many of whom are friends and family members.
2023: Streamy Award Creator of the Year
In 2023, Donaldson won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards and Favorite Male Creator at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. Also in 2023, Time named him one of the world's 100 most influential people.
2023: MrBeast Streaming Channel Launch
In 2023, a free ad-supported streaming television channel named Mr. Beast began airing on the Roku Channel service, featuring previously released MrBeast YouTube videos.
January 11, 2024: Feastables Bar Changes Announced
On January 11, 2024, Donaldson announced changes to the original Feastables bar, including a new shape and formula.
January 2024: "Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?" Most-Watched Video
As of January 2024, Donaldson's YouTube Shorts video "Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?" became the most-watched video on his main YouTube channel.
March 2024: Beast Games Announced
In March 2024, Donaldson and Amazon MGM Studios announced Beast Games, a reality competition series on Prime Video with 1,000 contestants competing for a $5 million prize.
June 2, 2024: Most Subscribed Channel on YouTube
On June 2, 2024, Donaldson surpassed T-Series to become the most subscribed channel on YouTube, with 267 million subscribers.
July 6, 2024: Twitter Post on Presidential Run
On July 6, 2024, during the 2024 presidential election, Donaldson wrote on Twitter that he would consider running for president if the age requirement was lowered, but clarified he was reiterating his apolitical position.
July 10, 2024: First YouTuber to Surpass 300 Million Subscribers
On July 10, 2024, Donaldson became the first YouTuber to surpass 300 million subscribers.
July 13, 2024: Uploaded 300 Million Subscriber Special
On July 13, 2024, Donaldson uploaded his 300 million subscribers special, "50 YouTubers Fight for $1,000,000", featuring guest appearances from Howie Mandel, Miranda Cosgrove, and Joey Chestnut.
July 24, 2024: Ava Kris Tyson Removed from MrBeast Brand
On July 24, 2024, Donaldson removed Ava Kris Tyson from the MrBeast brand following allegations of sexual misconduct. Tyson claimed she willingly stepped away and that her decision to leave was mutual.
September 2024: Lunchly Brand Announced
In September 2024, Donaldson announced the Lunchly brand of snack kits in a joint venture with YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul.
September 2024: Class Action Lawsuit Filed
In September 2024, Donaldson was named as a subject of a class action lawsuit, alleging mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid expenses on his reality television series, Beast Games.
September 2024: Class Action Lawsuit Filed by Beast Games Contestants
In September 2024, a class action lawsuit was filed against Donaldson, Amazon, and production companies by former Beast Games contestants alleging mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid expenses.
November 1, 2024: Investigation Concludes Allegations Against Tyson Baseless
On November 1, 2024, the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan concluded the allegations against Ava Kris Tyson were baseless after an independent investigation.
December 25, 2024: Engagement to Thea Booysen
Donaldson and Thea Booysen became engaged on December 25, 2024.
2024: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Male Creator
In 2024, Donaldson won the Favorite Male Creator award at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
January 1, 2025: Engagement Announcment
On January 1, 2025, Donaldson announced his engagement to Thea Booysen.
January 2025: Mr. Beast Burger Lawsuit Ongoing
As of January 2025, the lawsuit between Donaldson and Virtual Dining Concepts concerning Mr. Beast Burger is still ongoing.
February 1, 2025: #TeamTrees Surpasses Original Goal
As of February 1, 2025, the #TeamTrees project has planted over 24.8 million trees, surpassing the original goal of 20 million.
