YouTube sensation MrBeast, born Jimmy Donaldson, has once again made history, reaching an astonishing 341 million subscribers. This milestone arrives after he became the first individual streamer to surpass the 300 million YouTube subscriber mark earlier this year. MrBeast's philanthropic content and large-scale stunts have set him apart, earning enormous popularity and connection with his audience.
MrBeast began his YouTube quest in 2012 at the age of 13, initially focusing on gaming content centered around titles like Minecraft and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. His channel operated under the name "MrBeast6000" during these early years. After years of experimenting with different video formats, including gameplay, commentary, and reaction videos, Donaldson found his breakthrough moment with his viral video "Counting to 100,000" in 2017, where he dedicated over 40 hours to simply counting. This act showcased his willingness to push boundaries for the sake of entertainment.
Building on this viral success, he continued with bold challenges like "Saying Logan Paul 100,000 Times" and "Reading the Dictionary for 24 Hours." His content saw a significant shift toward large-scale philanthropic stunts and generosity-driven initiatives with videos such as "I Gave Away $1,000,000 in One Video" becoming his signature style. Eventually, he partnered with many brands, utilizing sponsorship deals to exponentially increase the scale of his giveaways.
Following his recent achievement of 341 million subscribers, MrBeast continues to break records every few months. Known for high-production videos and innovative challenges, he collaborates with fellow content creators, delivering entertaining and impactful charity initiatives. He hasrevolutionized YouTube content through jaw-dropping stunts and massive giveaways, which is core to his growing global following.
MrBeast's business ventures are also noteworthy. He launched the MrBeast Burger chain and the snack brand Feastables, which have significantly contributed to his empire. This subscriber achievement also coincides with the recent news of his engagement to Thea Booysen–a year filled with extraordinary events for the social media star.
Despite the festive successes, 2024 has not been without strife for MrBeast. Last year, serious allegations surrounded his former employee, Ava Kris Tyson, who faced accusations of grooming and maintaining inappropriate relationships with minors. Tyson’s public statement expressed remorse for any perceived harm related to her past remarks, leading her to step back from her role with MrBeast.
Despite controversies swirling around his professional circle, MrBeast remains dedicated to philanthropy and maintains strong connections with his audience. His unique ability to resonate with millions of viewers is evident as he continues to gain subscribers. MrBeast himself noted during his interview with Time, "Each video does a couple million in ad revenue, a couple million in brand deals," reaffirming his statement of reinvesting all earnings back to amplify his content creation efforts.
This brings us to his latest project, 'Beast Games', which aired its first episode on December 19, 2024. The show features 1,000 contestants competing for a grand prize of $5 million, available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video with episodes set to release weekly. Prime Video reportedly paid MrBeast $100 million for the show, which likely covers production costs and the substantial prizes offered. Amidst flashy challenges, excitement, and dramatic stakes, the show has attracted significant attention.
Despite the show's high expectations, mixed reviews have emerged. After starting with positive reception, critics’ ratings for Beast Games began to plummet. The show garnered only 5.3/10 stars on IMDb based on over 5,700 reviews. Critics from major publications have voiced concerns, with The Guardian's Stuart Heritage calling it "one of the most undignified spectacles ever shown on TV" and expressing disappointment over its perceived lack of creativity. The IGN review echoed these sentiments, questioning MrBeast’s charisma and creativity, labeling the series as lacking original entertainment value.
Rotten Tomatoes paints the show as especially disappointing from critics, scoring only 13/100%, yet audience reviews vary with ratings placing it at 63/100%. The criticisms cited the show’s similarities to the popular Squid Game, with participants backstabbing to win large sums of money, making it hard to watch for some viewers. A notable comment on IMDb reads, "It promotes wrong values of greed and selfishness [...] It exists solely to show us the worst of the human condition, as obnoxiously as possible."
With only four episodes available as of January 2, 2025, and more yet to be released, it remains unclear if MrBeast's ratings will recover or continue downward. This tumultuous year sees MrBeast growing his brand whilst managing controversies inherent with fame, and yet he stands as one of YouTube's biggest names.
MrBeast’s net worth is estimated at $1 billion, with annual earnings reportedly between $600 million to $700 million as he continuously reinvests his income for future ventures and growing his audience's engagement. This trend appears firm as long as he adapts his approach to accommodate both his vast audience’s expectations and the critique his content attracts.