History of MrBeast in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 12, 2026

MrBeast, the professional name of Jimmy Donaldson, is the most-subscribed individual creator on YouTube. He revolutionized digital content through high-budget, elaborate stunts, massive philanthropic giveaways, and fast-paced editing. His videos often center on extreme challenges, social experiments, and large-scale charitable acts, such as planting millions of trees or funding surgeries for the blind. Beyond his channel, Donaldson has become a successful entrepreneur, launching businesses like Feastables, a snack company, and MrBeast Burger. His impact extends to the business side of the creator economy, where he has set new standards for production value, audience retention, and global reach. By blending viral entertainment with organized humanitarian efforts, MrBeast has transformed from a teenage gamer into a global media mogul who influences modern pop culture, business trends, and philanthropic models online.

Sections (6)

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

May 7, 1998: Birth of Jimmy Donaldson

On May 7, 1998, James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, widely recognized as the internet personality MrBeast, was born.

Others born on this day/year

2007: Parental Divorce

In 2007, the parents of James Stephen Donaldson, Susan Parisher and Charles Donaldson, officially divorced, marking a significant change in his family life during his childhood.

February 2012: MrBeast's YouTube Debut

In February 2012, Jimmy Donaldson, then 13 years old, uploaded his inaugural YouTube video to his channel, MrBeast6000. This milestone marked the beginning of his content creation journey, which initially featured gaming Let's Plays, commentary on YouTube drama, and advice for fellow creators.

2012: Beginning of YouTube Career

In 2012, Jimmy Donaldson began his journey on YouTube by posting videos under the alias MrBeast6000, creating content that varied from gaming Let's Play videos to videos estimating the wealth of other creators.

2015: Launch of Worst Intros on YouTube series

In 2015, Jimmy Donaldson began his YouTube content series titled "Worst Intros on YouTube," where he gained early internet popularity by satirizing various YouTube video introductions.

2016: Career shift and college dropout

During 2016, Donaldson reached approximately 30,000 subscribers and eventually dropped out of college in late 2016 to dedicate himself fully to his YouTube career, a decision that led to him moving out of his family home due to his mother's disapproval.

2016: High School Graduation

In 2016, James Stephen Donaldson completed his secondary education by graduating from the Greenville Christian Academy, a private evangelical Christian high school located in North Carolina.

January 9, 2017: Breakthrough Viral Video: Counting to 100,000

On January 9, 2017, MrBeast published a video documenting his 40-hour challenge to count to 100,000. The video was edited down to under 24 hours and served as his primary breakthrough moment on YouTube, leading to further viral stunts involving megaphones, paint, and fidget spinners.

January 2017: Viral Breakthrough with I Counted to 100,000!

In January 2017, the video titled 'I Counted to 100,000!' achieved significant viral success, garnering tens of thousands of views in just a few days and prompting a shift toward more extravagant video productions.

June 2017: First Brand Deal and Philanthropic Initiative

In June 2017, Jimmy Donaldson secured his inaugural brand partnership with the digital collectibles app Quidd. He subsequently used the $10,000 sponsorship fee to fund a philanthropic video in which he donated the entire amount to a homeless individual, establishing the foundation for his future career focused on large-scale charitable giveaways.

2017: First Brand Deal with Quidd

In 2017, MrBeast secured his first-ever brand deal, collaborating with the platform Quidd, a connection facilitated by Adam Hadi.

2018: YouTube's Biggest Philanthropist

By 2018, Donaldson achieved the title of 'YouTube's biggest philanthropist' after successfully giving away a total of $1 million through various stunts and challenges performed throughout the year.

2018: Conclusion of Worst Intros series

By 2018, Donaldson concluded his successful "Worst Intros on YouTube" series, which had been a significant contributor to his growth and popularity on the platform between 2015 and 2018.

2018: MrBeast Supports PewDiePie in YouTube Rivalry

In 2018, MrBeast played a significant role in the PewDiePie vs. T-Series rivalry by launching an extensive marketing campaign to boost PewDiePie's subscriber count. This effort included purchasing various billboards, television advertisements, and radio spots throughout the year, as well as coordinating a stunt at Super Bowl LIII where his team wore shirts that promoted subscribing to PewDiePie.

2018: Inspiration from the 2018 YouTube Rewind

In 2018, PewDiePie released his own take on the YouTube Rewind project, which served as the foundational inspiration for MrBeast's own creator-led Rewind video released on January 1, 2021.

March 2019: Apex Legends Battle Royale Event

In March 2019, MrBeast organized and filmed a large-scale, real-life battle royale tournament in Los Angeles. The event featured a total prize pool of $200,000, which was split between two individual games, and was produced in partnership with the game developer Electronic Arts.

April 2020: Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament

In April 2020, Jimmy Donaldson hosted a high-stakes rock, paper, scissors tournament involving 32 influencers with a $250,000 prize. The broadcast achieved significant success as YouTube's most-watched live Original at the time, reaching a peak of 662,000 concurrent viewers, and was ultimately won by professional esports athlete Nadeshot.

October 2020: Influencer Trivia Tournament

In October 2020, Donaldson organized a trivia tournament featuring 24 competitors and a grand prize of $300,000. While siblings Charli and Dixie D'Amelio were declared the winners of the event, the outcome sparked controversy amidst allegations that the pair had cheated during the competition.

2020: Focus of the 2020 YouTube Rewind project

During 2020, MrBeast worked on his alternative YouTube Rewind video, aiming to include a broad consensus of creator voices to address his belief that YouTubers deserved a greater role in the annual tradition.

2020: Jake Franklin departs the MrBeast crew

In 2020, Jake Franklin, one of the original childhood friends hired to assist with content production for the MrBeast channel, officially left the crew.

2020: Streamy Awards Creator of the Year Win

In 2020, Jimmy Donaldson achieved a significant career milestone by winning the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards.

2020: 2020 Forbes Celebrity 100 Comparison

In 2020, figures such as Vin Diesel and Lewis Hamilton earned an amount comparable to Donaldson's 2021 income, which would have secured him the 40th position on the 2020 Forbes Celebrity 100 list.

January 1, 2021: Release of YouTube Rewind 2020, Thank God It's Over

On January 1, 2021, MrBeast released his own version of YouTube Rewind. In this video, he explained his philosophy that content creators should have more influence over the Rewind project, revealing that he consulted with hundreds of other YouTubers to create the production. He also credited PewDiePie's 2018 project as his primary inspiration for the video.

February 2021: Clubhouse Moderation Controversy

In February 2021, Jimmy Donaldson removed entrepreneur Farokh Sarmad from a Clubhouse room, leading to accusations of racism from Sarmad. Other participants present during the event in February 2021 refuted these claims, asserting that the removal was part of an effort to increase inclusivity for women in the discussion.

April 2021: Partnership with Current

In April 2021, MrBeast announced a sponsorship deal with the mobile banking app Current, which was significant for being his first sponsorship that included an ownership stake in the company.

November 2021: Release of $456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!

In November 2021, MrBeast released a viral video titled "$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!", which featured 456 contestants competing for a large cash prize. The production became one of the most-watched YouTube videos of 2021, though it faced some critical commentary regarding its thematic interpretation of the source material.

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December 2021: Third Influencer Tournament

In December 2021, MrBeast hosted his third influencer tournament, which challenged 15 competitors to compete for a grand prize of $1 million.

2021: Second Streamy Awards Creator of the Year Win

Jimmy Donaldson continued his success in 2021 by securing the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards for the second consecutive year.

January 2022: Forbes Highest-Earning Creator Ranking

In January 2022, Forbes recognized Donaldson as the highest-earning creator on YouTube, noting he generated an estimated $54 million throughout 2021.

July 28, 2022: Surpassing 100 Million Subscribers

On July 28, 2022, Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, hit a major milestone by reaching 100 million subscribers on his primary YouTube channel, becoming the fifth channel and second individual creator to do so.

November 2022: One Billion Monthly Views Milestone

In November 2022, Donaldson achieved a significant performance record by accumulating one billion total video views across his main YouTube channel within a single 30-day period.

November 17, 2022: Guinness World Record Achievement

On November 17, 2022, Donaldson officially broke the Guinness World Record for the "Most Subscribers for an Individual Male on YouTube," reaching 112 million subscribers and surpassing PewDiePie's decade-long reign.

2022: Dual Award Wins at Streamy and Nickelodeon

During 2022, Donaldson won the Creator of the Year award at the Streamy Awards and was also recognized as the Favorite Male Creator at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

October 15, 2023: Surpassing 200 Million Subscribers

Donaldson reached another massive growth milestone on October 15, 2023, when his main channel subscriber count officially crossed the 200 million mark.

2023: Multi-Award Wins and Time Recognition

In 2023, Donaldson won the Streamy Award for Creator of the Year, the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Male Creator, and was named one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine.

June 2, 2024: Surpassing T-Series for Most Subscribed Channel

On June 2, 2024, MrBeast officially surpassed the Indian music and film production company T-Series to become the most subscribed YouTube channel in the world, reaching a milestone of 267 million subscribers.

July 10, 2024: Reaching 300 Million Subscribers

On July 10, 2024, Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) set a historic record by becoming the first individual YouTuber to surpass 300 million subscribers on the platform.

July 13, 2024: 300 Million Subscriber Special Release

On July 13, 2024, MrBeast released his 300 million subscriber special video titled "50 YouTubers Fight for $1,000,000". The video set a new internal record by garnering 71 million views within its first 24 hours.

2024: Ava Kris Tyson departs the MrBeast crew

During 2024, Ava Kris Tyson, who had been a long-time member of the MrBeast team alongside Donaldson since childhood, officially left the crew.

2024: Forbes Top Ranking and Nickelodeon Award

In 2024, Donaldson won Favorite Male Creator at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and was ranked first by Forbes among the highest-paid YouTube creators.

April 25, 2025: Influencer Basketball Game

On April 25, 2025, MrBeast partnered with Uruguayan YouTuber Fede Vigevani to host a special influencer basketball game, featuring a match between teams of Spanish-speaking and English-speaking content creators.

May 2025: Most-Watched YouTube Shorts Video

As of May 2025, the YouTube Shorts video titled "Would You Fly to Paris for a Baguette?" stands as the most-watched content on Donaldson's main channel, having secured over 1.5 billion views and 56 million likes.

June 1, 2025: Reaching 400 Million Subscribers

On June 1, 2025, MrBeast achieved another major platform milestone by becoming the first YouTube creator to accumulate 400 million subscribers.

2025: Time 100 Creators and Nickelodeon Award

In 2025, Donaldson won the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Male Creator and was included in the inaugural Time 100 Creators list by Time magazine.

2025: Co-founding of Team Water

In 2025, MrBeast co-founded Team Water, an initiative that successfully raised over $40 million to support the non-profit organization WaterAid in their efforts to provide clean water.

January 2026: Beast Industries Investment

In January 2026, Beast Industries successfully secured $200 million in funding from Bitmine, establishing the company at a valuation of $5 billion.

June 12, 2026: Crossing 500 Million Subscriber Milestone

On June 12, 2026, Jimmy Donaldson achieved a historic career milestone by becoming the first and only YouTuber to reach 500 million subscribers on his main channel.