History of MrBeast in Timeline

James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, known as MrBeast, is a prominent American YouTuber, media personality, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He's famous for his engaging, high-production videos featuring extravagant challenges and substantial monetary donations. Boasting the most subscribers of any individual YouTube channel and significant presence on TikTok, MrBeast has built a massive online following through his unique content style and philanthropic endeavors.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

May 7, 1998: MrBeast's Birth

On May 7, 1998, James Stephen Donaldson, famously known as MrBeast, was born in Wichita, Kansas.

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2007: Parents' Divorce

In 2007, James Donaldson's parents divorced.

February 2012: First YouTube Upload

In February 2012, James Donaldson uploaded his first YouTube video under the channel name "MrBeast6000" at the age of 13.

2012: Early YouTube Content

In early 2012, Donaldson began his YouTube journey under the handle MrBeast6000, posting diverse content ranging from Let's Plays to videos estimating other YouTubers' wealth.

2015: "Worst Intros on YouTube" Series

In 2015, Donaldson gained popularity with his "Worst Intros on YouTube" series, where he poked fun at YouTube video introductions.

2016: High School Graduation

In 2016, James Donaldson graduated from Greenville Christian Academy.

2016: College Dropout

In late 2016, Donaldson dropped out of college to pursue a full-time career as a YouTuber, leading to disapproval from his mother and him leaving the family home.

January 2017: Counting to 100,000 Video

In January 2017, Donaldson published a video of himself counting to 100,000, which took him 40 hours and became his breakthrough viral video.

2017: Viral Breakthrough

In 2017, MrBeast achieved viral fame after his "counting to 100,000" video garnered tens of thousands of views in just a few days, marking a significant turning point in his YouTube career.

February 2018: Allegations of Difficult Work Environment by Matt Turner

In February 2018, Matt Turner, who worked as an editor for Donaldson, claimed that Donaldson berated him almost daily.

May 2018: The Atlantic Publishes Article on Donaldson's Homophobic Slurs

In May 2018, The Atlantic published an article detailing Donaldson's past use of homophobic slurs on Twitter during his teenage years. He later removed the tweets.

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: Support for PewDiePie

During the PewDiePie vs. T-Series rivalry in 2018, Donaldson bought billboards and television and radio advertisements to help PewDiePie gain more subscribers than T-Series. He also purchased seats for himself and his team at Super Bowl LIII, wearing shirts that spelled out "Sub 2 PewDiePie".

2018: YouTube Rewind Inspiration

In 2018 PewDiePie released his Rewind that served as inspiration for Donaldson's Rewind that was released January 1, 2021.

March 2019: 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. Electronic Arts sponsored the event and prize pool.

September 2019: Matt Turner's Departure

In September 2019, Matt Turner left from his position as editor for Donaldson.

October 2019: Allegations of Difficult Work Environment by Matt Turner on Twitter

In October 2019, Matt Turner released a deleted Twitter thread that stated that he was "yelled at, bullied, called mentally retarded and replaceable by Donaldson every single day".

October 2019: Arbor Day Foundation Begins Planting Trees

In October 2019, the Arbor Day Foundation began planting trees in U.S. national parks as part of the #TeamTrees initiative.

October 25, 2019: #TeamTrees Fundraising Challenge Announced

On October 25, 2019, Donaldson and Mark Rober announced #TeamTrees, a fundraising challenge on YouTube to raise $20 million for the Arbor Day Foundation by January 1, 2020, to plant trees. Notable YouTubers promoted the project, and the foundation began planting trees in October 2019.

November 23, 2019: Counterfeit Money Accusation

On November 23, 2019, Donaldson was accused of using counterfeit money in his "I Opened A FREE BANK" video, prompting him to explain that he used fake money to avoid participant safety concerns, and that participants received real checks after the shoot.

January 1, 2020: #TeamTrees Goal

On January 1, 2020, the goal of the #TeamTrees project was to have raised $20 million for the Arbor Day Foundation.

April 2020: Rock, Paper, Scissors Competition

In April 2020, Donaldson created a rock, paper, scissors competition stream that featured 32 influencers and a grand prize of $250,000, which became YouTube's most-watched live Original event with 662,000 concurrent viewers. Professional esports player Nadeshot won the event.

June 2020: Finger on the App Release

In June 2020, Donaldson, in collaboration with MSCHF, released a one-time multiplayer mobile game titled Finger on the App, where players touched their phone screen and the last person to remove their finger from the screen won $25,000.

September 17, 2020: Beast Philanthropy YouTube Channel Created

On September 17, 2020, Donaldson created the Beast Philanthropy YouTube channel, announcing the charity and food bank, and naming Darren Margolias as executive director. The channel donates 100% of its revenue to charity.

October 2020: Influencer Trivia Tournament

In October 2020, Donaldson hosted an influencer trivia tournament featuring 24 competitors with a grand prize of $300,000. The tournament's winners were siblings Charli and Dixie D'Amelio, which caused controversy due to claims that they cheated.

December 2020: Finger on the App 2 Postponement

In December 2020, the planned initial launch of the sequel Finger on the App 2 was postponed to February 2021.

2020: Comparing income to celebrities

Forbes stated that MrBeast's 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: YouTube Rewind Inspiration

In 2020 Donaldson gives a shout-out to PewDiePie, citing him and his 2018 Rewind as the inspiration for Donaldson's Rewind that was released January 1, 2021.

2020: Crew Change

In 2020, Jake Franklin left MrBeast's crew, and Karl Jacobs, previously a cameraman, was promoted to take his place.

2020: Streamy Award Win

In 2020, MrBeast won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards, marking the first of four consecutive wins in this category.

January 1, 2021: YouTube Rewind 2020

On January 1, 2021, Donaldson released the "Youtube Rewind 2020, Thank God It's Over" video. In Donaldson's video, he explains that he had always believed that YouTubers "should get more say in Rewind", and with this in mind, he decided to call "hundreds of YouTubers".

February 2021: Insider Poll Shows Favorable View of MrBeast

A February 2021 poll from Insider indicated that 70% of respondents had a favorable view of MrBeast, compared to 12% with an unfavorable view. The poll also highlighted his channel's appeal to younger viewers.

February 2021: Clubhouse Controversy

During a Clubhouse room in February 2021, Donaldson removed entrepreneur Farokh Sarmad after he allegedly said he could not pronounce his name, a move that Sarmad later said was racist. Sarmad's claims were questioned and denied by other Clubhouse users.

March 2021: Finger on the App 2 Release

Due to a flood of downloads, Finger on the App 2 was further delayed to March 2021, when it was eventually released with a grand prize of $100,000.

March 2021: Juice Funds Investment Fund Introduction

In March 2021, Donaldson partnered with the Creative Juice financial network to launch Juice Funds, a $2 million investment fund for content creators.

April 2021: Current Partnership and Cryptocurrency Backlash

In April 2021, Donaldson became a long-term investor and partner of Current, a financial technology company. That same month, he faced backlash after fans lost money in a cryptocurrency scheme he had invested in and promoted.

May 2021: Allegations of Difficult Work Environment

In a May 2021 New York Times article, former employees of Donaldson alleged he fostered a difficult work environment, including daily beratement and lack of credit for work. Donaldson disputed these claims, saying they have high standards but it's not a toxic environment.

October 29, 2021: #TeamSeas Fundraising Challenge Announced

On October 29, 2021, Donaldson and Rober organized #TeamSeas, a YouTube fundraising event aiming to raise $30 million for the Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Cleanup by January 1, 2022, to remove 30 million pounds of waste from oceans.

November 2021: "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!" Video

In November 2021, Donaldson uploaded "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!", a recreation of the television series Squid Game, where 456 people competed for a $456,000 cash prize. The video received over 130 million views within a week.

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December 2021: Influencer Tournament

In December 2021, Donaldson created a third influencer tournament featuring 15 competitors with a grand prize of $1 million.

2021: Second Streamy Award Win

In 2021, MrBeast won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards for the second year in a row.

January 1, 2022: #TeamSeas Goal

On January 1, 2022, the goal of the #TeamSeas project was to have raised $30 million for the Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Cleanup.

January 2022: Feastables Snack Company Launch

In January 2022, Donaldson announced the creation of Feastables, a new snack company, which launched with MrBeast Bar chocolate bars in original, almond, and quinoa crunch flavors. The launch included a sweepstakes with over $1 million in prizes, with some winners getting a chance to compete for a chocolate factory.

January 2022: Highest-Earning Creator

In January 2022, Forbes ranked Donaldson as YouTube's highest-earning creator, estimating his earnings at $54 million in 2021.

April 2022: Donaldson Announces Departure from Evangelical Christianity

In April 2022, Donaldson announced in an interview with Rolling Stone that he had left evangelical Christianity and now identifies as an agnostic theist. He also disavowed previous anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.

June 2022: Chocolate Factory Video Release

In June 2022, Donaldson released a video featuring elimination challenges where the winner could choose between a chocolate factory or a $500,000 cash prize. Michelin Star chef Gordon Ramsay was a judge in the final challenge, deciding the winner of the cash prize.

July 28, 2022: 100 Million Subscribers

On July 28, 2022, Donaldson surpassed 100 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel, becoming the fifth channel and the second individual YouTuber to achieve this milestone.

September 4, 2022: MrBeast Burger Physical Restaurant Opens

On September 4, 2022, the first physical MrBeast Burger restaurant location opened in the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

September 2022: Donaldson Comments on Potential Presidential Run

In September 2022, Donaldson commented on a podcast that he would consider running for president of the United States in about 20 years, stating that the U.S. is "due for younger presidents."

November 2022: One Billion Video Views

In November 2022, Donaldson achieved one billion video views over 30 days on his main YouTube channel.

November 2022: Partnership with East Carolina University

In November 2022, Donaldson partnered with East Carolina University to create a course focused on YouTube content creation.

November 17, 2022: Guinness World Record

On November 17, 2022, Donaldson achieved the Guinness World Record for "Most Subscribers for an Individual Male on YouTube" with 112 million subscribers on his MrBeast channel.

December 2022: #TeamTrees tree planting deadline

By December 2022, the Arbor Day Foundation pledged to plant trees as part of the #TeamTrees initiative.

2022: Awards and Recognition

In 2022, MrBeast won the Creator of the Year award for the third year in a row at the Streamy Awards. He also won the Favorite Male Creator award at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

2022: Video Production Costs

In 2022, it was reported that Donaldson spent about $1 million on each video, with funding primarily coming from sponsorships and Google's AdSense program.

March 3, 2023: Feastables Display Cleanup Request

On March 3, 2023, Donaldson asked fans on Twitter to improve Feastables displays in stores and obscure competitors, offering a $5,000 raffle entry as an incentive. This led to criticism and accusations of exploiting fans for unpaid labor.

April 2023: Donaldson Defends Chris Tyson Against Backlash

In April 2023, Donaldson defended Chris Tyson, his childhood friend and employee, against backlash after she acknowledged receiving feminizing hormone replacement therapy. Donaldson disavowed transphobia and affirmed his friendship with Tyson, who later came out as a trans woman.

May 2023: Guest Judge on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars

In May 2023, Donaldson appeared as a guest judge on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars show.

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June 2023: Donaldson Declined OceanGate Submersible Invitation

In June 2023, Donaldson claimed he was invited on the OceanGate submersible Titan expedition to the Titanic wreck, which imploded, killing all passengers, but he declined the offer.

June 17, 2023: Donaldson Expresses Wishes to Shut Down MrBeast Burger

On June 17, 2023, Donaldson voiced his desire to shut down MrBeast Burger due to quality issues, citing a "bad deal" with Virtual Dining Concepts, LLC, but stating the company wouldn't allow it as it was bad for his brand.

July 31, 2023: Lawsuit Against Virtual Dining Concepts

On July 31, 2023, Donaldson sued Virtual Dining Concepts in federal court to end their partnership, alleging damage to his reputation by prioritizing expansion over food quality for MrBeast Burger. He also claimed he received no payment from the partnership. Virtual Dining Concepts disputed the claims.

October 2, 2023: Feastables Charlotte Hornets Partnership

On October 2, 2023, Feastables partnered with the Charlotte Hornets to feature MrBeast's logo on their jerseys for the 2023-24 NBA season. The partnership has since ended.

October 15, 2023: 200 Million Subscribers

On October 15, 2023, Donaldson surpassed 200 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.

2023: Employee Count

As of 2023, Donaldson employs over 250 people, including writers, editors, and producers.

2023: Streamy Award Win

In 2023, MrBeast won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards for the fourth year in a row.

2023: Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2023, Time magazine recognized MrBeast as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

2023: Mr. Beast FAST Channel on Roku Channel

In 2023, a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel called Mr. Beast, featuring previously released MrBeast YouTube videos, began airing on The Roku Channel service.

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January 2024: Most-Watched Video

As of January 2024, Donaldson's YouTube Shorts video "Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?" is the most-watched video on his main YouTube channel, with over 1.3 billion views and 50 million likes.

February 2024: Feastables Chocolate Rebrand

In February 2024, Feastables rebranded their chocolate bars, introducing a new shape and formula.

March 2024: Beast Games Reality Competition Series Announced

In March 2024, Donaldson and Amazon MGM Studios announced Beast Games, a new reality competition series to air on Prime Video. Featuring 1,000 contestants competing for a $5 million prize, it's set to be the biggest reality competition series ever.

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June 2, 2024: Most Subscribed Channel on YouTube

On June 2, 2024, MrBeast became the most subscribed channel on YouTube, surpassing T-Series with 267 million subscribers.

July 6, 2024: Donaldson Expresses Interest in Presidential Run

On July 6, 2024, during the 2024 presidential election, Donaldson wrote on Twitter, "If we lower the age to run for president I'll jump in the race," clarifying that he maintains an apolitical stance.

July 10, 2024: First YouTuber to 300 Million Subscribers

On July 10, 2024, Donaldson became the first YouTuber to surpass 300 million subscribers.

July 13, 2024: 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. The video reached 71 million views in its first 24 hours.

July 24, 2024: Removal of Ava Kris Tyson from MrBeast Brand

On July 24, 2024, Donaldson removed Ava Kris Tyson, an original cast member, from the MrBeast brand due to allegations of sexual misconduct with minors and pressuring a former employee for sexual acts. Tyson stated she willingly stepped away.

September 2024: Lunchly Snack Kit Brand Announced

In September 2024, Donaldson announced Lunchly, a new brand of snack kits. Marketed as a healthier alternative to Lunchables, it's a joint venture with YouTubers Olajide "KSI" Olatunji and Logan Paul.

September 2024: Class Action Lawsuit

In September 2024, James Donaldson, MrBeast, was named as one of the subjects of a class action lawsuit alleging mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid wages on his series, Beast Games.

September 2024: Class Action Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Beast Games Contestants

In September 2024, a class action lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of five former Beast Games contestants against Donaldson, Amazon, and associated production companies. The lawsuit alleges mistreatment, sexual harassment, and unpaid expenses and wages, claiming violations occurred to gain Nevada tax credits.

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November 1, 2024: Allegations Against Ava Kris Tyson Found Baseless

On November 1, 2024, the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan concluded that the allegations against Ava Kris Tyson were baseless after conducting an investigation. The allegations were soundly rejected, including by the alleged victims.

December 25, 2024: Donaldson Gets Engaged

On December 25, 2024, Donaldson was engaged to gaming streamer Thea Booysen.

2024: Forbes Highest-Paid Creator and Kids' Choice Award

In 2024, MrBeast ranked first on Forbes' list of the highest-paid YouTube creators and won the Favorite Male Creator award at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for the third time.