Lindsey Stirling, a violin star on YouTube, seeks fame in video games via ‘Pop Dash’

Electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling’s mesmerizing instrumentals made her one of YouTube’s most-watched and most-compensated online video stars.

Now, she’s looking to conquer another form of entertainment: video games.

Stirling, 29, is the first celebrity character to be featured in the smartphone and tablet game “Pop Dash,” available worldwide on Apple devices starting Thursday.

San Francisco-based game publisher Maximum Play Inc. is counting on Stirling’s long list of viewers to play the game, said Chief Executive Sinjin Bain, who’s worked on franchises such as “The Sims” and “Titanfall.”

Stirling has 7.2 million fans on YouTube, where her videos attract tens of millions of views. Forbes estimates she grosses $6 million a year from sponsors and music sales.

Similar to “Super Mario Bros.” and “Temple Run,” “Pop Dash” players steer digital characters through increasingly tougher landscapes, dodging obstacles and collecting prizes; in this case, the character is Stirling. Some of her songs, including “Take Flight” and “Heist,” play in the background, along with other pop hits from Ariana Grande and Jessie J. (staying in step with the beat earns extra points).

Stirling is not the first celebrity to make a mobile game. Kim Kardashian has been the biggest success, with a game that’s grossed more than $100 million. Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Jason Statham have or are planning their own.

But Tero Kuittinen, a video-game consultant working with Maximum Play, called “Pop Dash” the industry’s first big test to see how far an individual YouTube star’s fame and influence will stretch.

“Pop Dash” could be a big revenue generator for Stirling. Players can style Stirling’s character with digital costumes costing up to $10. It’s no different from how players of popular video games such as “League of Legends” spend billions of dollars annually on “skins” to enhance the look of typically far more ghoulish characters.

Digital costumes accounted for 33% of in-app purchase revenue when “Pop Dash” was introduced earlier this year. Each carries a game-play benefit, such as allowing unlimited attempts to achieve the game’s next level.

Another option is buying “diamonds” and “coins” that range from $1 to $50 to advance in the game faster. Stirling gets a portion of revenues, though the size of the split was not disclosed.

Stirling, whose mother allowed the musician an hour of “Super Mario” and other game time while she was growing up, said concerts and writing a new album prevent her from playing “Pop Dash” much. But she has heard from fans who can’t wait to see “my cute little character pop up right out of my music videos.”

The start-up plans to introduce other celebrities in the game over time. Stirling says that’s cool.

“What makes it fun is that whether they are a Lindsey Stirling fan or an Ariana Grande fan, they can find a character they like,” she said by phone. “I love the culture of the gaming world. It’s cool [that] people have this close tie to the character. It’s a nostalgia that really pulls people together.”

Chat with me on Twitter @peard33