Yahoo Finance MrBeast Brings Back ‘Finger on the App’ Endurance Game, Promising $100,000 Cash Prize (EXCLUSIVE)
[UPDATE, 12/26, 3 p.m. ET: A rep for MrBeast said the start of the “Finger on the App 2” contest has been postponed until early January, with details TBA.]
MrBeast, the popular YouTube hype-master, is launching a reprise of “Finger on the App” — quadrupling the cash prize to $100,000 to whomever can literally keep their finger on the game the longest.
Jimmy Donaldson, a.k.a. MrBeast, launched the first “Finger on the App” contest June 30. The game had nearly 1.1 million downloads and more than 400,000 players were still glued to the app at the three-hour mark in a bid to win $25,000. Ultimately, Donaldson ended the game after 70 hours, awarding $20,000 to each of the final four contestants.
It remains to be seen how long the sequel will last. The $100,000 contest will kick off next Tuesday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, so the endurance battle is likely to extend into the new year.
“Finger on the App 2” is now available to download for free on iOS (at this link) and Android (via this link) in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
As with the first version, “Finger on the App 2” requires players to continually move their digits around (to ensure they’re not cheating). The new game also features a new “battle mode” — in which players try to outlast their opponents as obstacles pop up on the screen — to let hopeful contestants practice and earn additional lives before the start of the main competition.
“Finger on the App 2” includes a practice battle mode (right)
The game was developed by the 50-employee company’s Beast Interactive Games. The contest is sponsored by IGG’s “Lords Mobile: Kingdom Wars” multiplayer battle game.
MrBeast, who won the fan-voted creator of the year trophy at the 2020 Streamy Awards, produces viral videos featuring outlandish stunts and acts of charity. His YouTube channel now has more than 48 million subscribers.
Among his past antics: He dumped 100 million Orbeez gel beads in a friend’s backyard; rode a Ferris wheel 1,000 times with his pals; adopted every dog in an animal shelter; ate the (allegedly) largest slice of pizza in the world; and set off $600,000 worth of fireworks in a July 4th episode. This week, MrBeast said he bought 1 million Christmas lights and three houses. “Whoever designed their house the best got to keep the house!” he tweeted.
The 22-year-old North Carolina native also has had viral-video success through philanthropic stunts. Those have included giving out $200,000 to people who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic and donating $1 million worth of food to those in need. In April, MrBeast hosted a $250,000 rock-paper-scissors tournament with internet influencers, contributing the proceeds to the CDC Foundation’s COVID-19 fundraiser. And last year, MrBeast led a campaign to raise $20 million to plant 20 million trees, which included a $200,000 donation from YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.
MrBeast earned $24 million in revenue for the 12 months ended June 1, 2020, Forbes estimated. That made him the No. 2 top-earning YouTuber over that span (after the family behind kid powerhouse Ryan’s World at $29.5 million).
In his newest venture, Donaldson last week launched MrBeast Burger, a virtual restaurant chain with about 300 locations that delivers burgers and sandwiches (named after MrBeast and three of his friends) and fries.
MrBeast is managed by Reed Duchscher, head of digital talent agency Night Media.
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