ISLAMABAD: YouTube superstar Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first individual content creator in history to surpass 400 million subscribers on the platform.
This colossal figure not only cements his position as the world’s most-followed YouTuber but also places him more than 100 million subscribers ahead of T-Series — his closest competitor and a corporate music channel.
The milestone was celebrated by Donaldson on social media platform X, where he reflected on his journey from obscurity to digital royalty.
“A decade ago before I blew up everyone in my life told me I was too obsessed and constantly told I’d never make it,” he wrote. “Despite that, I was in love with making content and grinded every moment my eyes were open for seven years before anyone started watching.”
From Countdowns to Global Impact
MrBeast launched his channel in 2012, starting with gaming content and modest experiments. He gained viral fame in 2017 with a video where he counted to 100,000 — a stunt that foreshadowed his trademark endurance-based content and over-the-top challenges.
Over time, he expanded his brand to include large-scale philanthropy: funding surgeries, donating millions of dollars, and building homes for the unhoused in Jamaica.
His success has redefined content creation, turning YouTube into a space not just for entertainment, but for real-world impact.
Legal Challenges Alongside Glory
Despite his astronomical rise, MrBeast’s journey hasn’t been without controversy. In 2024, five anonymous contestants from his high-stakes show “Beast Games” filed a lawsuit alleging unpaid work, unsafe conditions, and even sexual harassment.
The suit claimed the $5 million production fostered a toxic environment and failed to ensure participant welfare.
Donaldson denied the claims, suggesting they were exaggerated.
“We have tons of behind-the-scenes dropping when the show does to show how blown out of proportion these claims were,” he stated on X.
Today, at just 27 years old, MrBeast is not only YouTube’s reigning king but also a billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a beacon of modern digital influence.
