MrBeast Becomes First to Receive 400 Million Subscribers Play Button But the Internet Isn’t Happy

MrBeast Receives 400M Play Button From YouTube CEO Neal Mohan
MrBeast

MrBeast made history on June 1, 2025, by hitting 400 million subscribers..0

YouTube megastar Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has officially received a custom Play Button for becoming the first individual content creator to cross a staggering 400 million subscribers on his main channel. But while the milestone is massive, not everyone online is celebrating.

MrBeast made history on June 1, 2025, pulling far ahead of T-Series, which currently stands at around 299 million subscribers. With this achievement, he became not only the most-subscribed individual creator but also topped the overall YouTube charts.

MrBeast Becomes First YouTuber to Get Custom 400M Play Button, But Fans Are Divided

At the time, MrBeast took to social media with an emotional message:
“400,000,000 subscribers! A decade ago before I blew up, everyone in my life told me I was too obsessed and constantly said I’d never make it. But I loved making content and grinded every waking moment for 7 years before anyone even started watching. I literally told my mom I’d rather be homeless than do anything else. The greatest gift in life is waking up every day with purpose and thanks to YouTube and all of you, I have that. Thanks for 400M.”

On Tuesday, he shared a photo on Instagram proudly holding the first-ever 400M Play Button, personally handed to him by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. His caption read: “400,000,000 Subscriber Play Button! Thank you YouTube ”

What makes this Play Button stand out is its custom-made design. Crafted from polished metal with a striking blue gemstone at its center, the trophy is unlike anything YouTube has awarded before fitting for a record no one else has achieved.

However, the internet’s reaction has been mixed. While many fans congratulated MrBeast, others questioned why YouTube hadn’t extended similar honors to T-Series or other milestone creators. The conversation around favoritism and recognition continues to stir debate across platforms.

Internet Reacts to MrBeast’s 400M Play Button And Not Everyone’s Impressed

The unveiling of MrBeast’s exclusive 400 million subscriber Play Button may have been a historic moment, but the internet’s response has been far from unanimous applause. The shiny new award, meant to celebrate the biggest individual milestone on YouTube to date, has instead sparked a flurry of mixed reactions online.

While some fans praised the achievement, many were left underwhelmed by the design of the Play Button. Comments quickly flooded social media, with one user saying, “YouTube should come up with a new design,” while another joked, “Now they have to make new Play Buttons only for Jimmy.”

The conversation escalated on Reddit, where a thread titled “MrBeast just got his 400 Mil Subscribers Play Button. What’s your thought on the play button?” attracted dozens of critical takes. One Redditor wrote, “I personally think it could’ve been entirely different from the previous models. This looks like they made one just for the sake of it.”

Another chimed in with a blunt observation: “It’s just a 10 million button with the center painted in blue.” Meanwhile, a frustrated user added, “You know it’s bad when they are getting lazy on the design of awards.”

Though MrBeast’s achievement is undisputed, the feedback shows that fans now expect more creativity and effort from YouTube when celebrating milestones of such unprecedented scale.

The backlash surrounding MrBeast’s 400 million subscriber Play Button hasn’t died down just yet. While the custom award is undeniably rare, fans continue to debate whether it lives up to the moment.

One user tried to set the record straight, commenting, “It’s not painted, that looks like it’s carved from lapis lazuli or azurite.” Still, not everyone was convinced. Another added, “That’s nice for him. Unfortunately, the Play Button doesn’t even look that special in my opinion.”

Nostalgic fans also weighed in. “Remember when YouTube’s gold button actually had a golden YouTube logo in the middle? Now it’s just a lame yellow painted board,” one wrote. Another wasn’t so polite, simply calling it an “AI generated Play Button.”

Meanwhile, MrBeast’s ongoing rivalry with T-Series continues to make headlines. Not long ago, the YouTuber grabbed attention by publicly daring T-Series CEO Bhushan Kumar to a boxing match. Interestingly, despite their competitive past, the two shared a friendly moment last year when they exchanged shout-outs and even subscribed to each other’s YouTube channels in a light-hearted video.

Jimmy's 400,000,000 Subscribers Playbutton
by u/rishikuttan11 in youtube

About MrBeast: The Self Made Billionaire Changing the YouTube Game

Earlier this year, MrBeast real name Jimmy Donaldson officially entered the billionaire club, with a reported net worth of $1 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth. At just 27 years old, he’s not only the eighth youngest billionaire in the world, but also the only one under 30 who hasn’t inherited a single cent of his wealth.

MrBeast’s rise to fame has been nothing short of revolutionary. From giving away millions of dollars in viral challenges to launching massive philanthropic efforts, he’s redefined what’s possible on YouTube. But content is just one part of his empire.

According to Business Insider, his company Beast Industries generated a staggering $473 million in revenue in 2024 alone. And the numbers are only climbing—projections suggest that revenue could double in 2025, solidifying his place not just as a creator, but as a powerful entrepreneur and business mogul.