It’s Thursday and in 2026, we’re wishing a fond farewell to the internet’s purest expression of commitment: the Instagram hard launch.

CREATOR COMMOTION

The partnership: Just a day after the debut of MrBeast and James Patterson‘s co-authored book, Google has dropped major news regarding YouTube’s most subscribed-to creator. The tech giant has signed a multiyear deal with MrBeast (aka Jimmy Donaldson) to promote its AI chatbot Gemini, Google Health, and wearables subsidiary Fitbit.

The partnership is set to kick off on September 5th with an upload that follows MrBeast and his usual crew “as they attempt to survive some of the most extreme and treacherous climates on Earth”—with help from Gemini to “identify dangers, survive brutal weather changes, and stay one step ahead” (per Google).

Donaldson will also be the face of Google’s new Gemini campaign (“where he’ll show how he uses the app as a partner to help him pull off the logistics of his signature, larger-than-life stunts”) and sport a Fitbit Air in a separate upcoming challenge.

The context: With ~515 million subs and 4 to 6 billion views per month on his main channel, Donaldson is YouTube’s biggest cash cow. He also rakes in regular sponsorships from major brands like Disney, Lowe’s, and Jack Link’s.

In other words, it’s not surprising to see MrBeast snag a major multiyear deal. But while Google occasionally sponsors YouTubers, this level of commitment is unusual for the tech giant. So, why is it teaming up with MrBeast now, and for such an extensive deal?

Current industry tensions may have something to do with it. YouTube has been on a blitz lately, tempting creators with lucrative deals so they won’t jump ship to Netflix.

We’re not saying this particular partnership is explicitly part of those efforts. After all, Donaldson has been wooed by other platforms before and always stuck with YouTube. But it certainly doesn’t hurt to have your highest-traffic creator locked down in a years-long deal.

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

GAME ON

The partnership: Days before the start of the 2026 NFL season, TikTok has renewed its partnership with the most-watched sports league in the U.S.

Through a multiyear deal, the platform will disseminate NFL coverage for seasons to come. Synergy between the two companies dates back to the 2010s, and TikTokers showed up in NBC football broadcasts in 2024. Now, the NFL is set to share content across nine different accounts, including a flagship hub that reaches over 20 million followers.

The context: During the FIFA World Cup, TikTok’s official content received more than 24 billion views, proving that the app has broken into the mainstream within the sports world.

The NFL season will be the next big test for TikTok—especially given that the league’s dealings with YouTube have recently pushed into TikTok’s territory. YouTube is the host of the NFL Sunday Ticket package, a broadcaster of live games, and a trusted source for millions of football fans. Last year, the video platform also supplanted TikTok as the sponsor of an official Super Bowl “tailgate.” That activity has been beneficial for both YouTube’s bottom line and its streaming traffic.

Now, as TikTok expands its own coverage to keep up with the competition, it’s integrating the NFL into several products.

Those include TikTok GamePlan (a key offering for sports organizations that want to activate on TikTok) and TikTok Pro Events, a community hub that rolled out during the World Cup. Then there’s the Pulse Premiere ad product, which, as explained during TikTok’s NewFronts pitches, will pair brands with relevant NFL content.

BRING THE ACTION

The trailer: Next month, a movie titled Street Fighter will revive a franchise that began with a series of iconic arcade games in the late 80s and early 90s. And to promote the nostalgic film, production companies Paramount and Legendary have concocted a novel strategy.

They turned the latest Street Fighter trailer into a playable video game.

A video version of that trailer premiered at an event in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, but the big reveal came hours later on the Legendary YouTube channel. Through YouTube Playables, a gaming hub that debuted in 2024, Legendary released a rhythm-fueled game called Street Fighter: Combo Challenge.

The context: The Street Fighter franchise has a long history on YouTube. A notable entry in the franchise’s canon is Assassin’s Fist, a web series that began as a fan film over 15 years ago.

Now, the debut of Street Fighter’s playable trailer joins a number of other playable experiments that have recently popped up on YouTube. Channels called Atlas Arcade and Animated Subtitles, for instance, have teamed up to produce YouTube versions of several famous video games, though those videos require more technical knowledge than Combo Challenge.

As much as Combo Challenge is an appeal to gamers, it is perhaps more notable as a clever solution to the problem of limited attention spans. A recent report from Metricool noted that engagement has declined across YouTube’s long-form library, with many viewers now treating those videos like Shorts.

By turning a trailer into a video game, Paramount and Legendary are pairing their preview with a format that demands constant attention.

WATCH THIS 👀

The nostalgic hit: TikTok has revealed its 2026 “songs of the summer.” The list of bops—which incorporates viewership and upload statistics from the app—is led by Katy Perry‘s 2011 single “The One That Got Away.”

With lyrics that encapsulate the feeling of long summer days gone by, it’s no surprise “The One That Got Away” appeals to viewers in today’s period of widespread nostalgia. According to TikTok, the song has appeared in 42 million videos totaling 55 billion views.

Check out the original music video here.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.