A peculiar TikTok trend has taken the internet by storm, where users livestream themselves acting like “NPCs” or automated “non-player characters” found in video games. These NPC streamers answer virtual gift From your audience with pre-written catchphrases like “Ice cream is great” for Ice Cream Gifts or “Gang Gang” for GG Icons.
During these live streams, viewers send monetary tips to the creators, which appear on screen as cartoon gifts. The creators react in real time with their quirks, and the speed with which they react without breaking character has attracted attention. According to a report, some videos of these creators reacting in unexpected ways have also gone viral, like counting down to the baby going to bed. forbes,
Pinkydoll earns $7,000 a day
This bizarre trend has attracted huge numbers of followers, and creators like Pinkydoll, known for their hour-long NPC livestreams, have seen a huge increase in their earnings. With nearly 500,000 followers, Pinkydoll now earns around $7,000 or more per day from her livestreams, which is much higher than her previous earnings of around $250 per day.
Even social media celebrities like Trisha Paytas have joined in on the NPC livestream trend. The trend has bewildered and fascinated many social media users, with tweets expressing confusion and surprise at the bizarre content.
What are these TikTok virtual gifts?
TikTok’s Live Gifts feature has become a valuable resource for content creators looking to monetize their work and grow their audience. When creators stream live on TikTok, viewers can express their appreciation and support by sending them video gifts, which can then be converted into real money.
To receive these gifts, users use the platform’s currency, TikTok Coins. Users can buy packages of TikTok coins with real money and then use these coins to buy various video gifts available.
Each video gift is represented by a unique emoji, and the price of each gift varies depending on its value, according to a report in Jivochat,
What is NPC?
An NPC, which is short for non-player character, originated in 1975 with the game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), the first commercial tabletop role-playing game. According to one report, in D&D, NPCs were characters controlled by the gamemaster or dungeon master to enhance the game’s story, such as merchants, orcs, and wizards. in the world,
The term later became popular in video games to describe characters controlled by the game’s mechanisms rather than the players. NPCs populate the game world and can range from humorous sidekicks to mysterious quest givers. However, because they are computer-controlled, NPCs often exhibit repetitive movements and utterances, leading to a reputation for being jerky or clumsy.
Furthermore, his behavior can sometimes seem illogical, such as attacking players or staying in one place for long periods of time despite having taken some damage. As a result, NPCs are sometimes perceived as lacking self-awareness and as weird, dimwitted, or even annoying.
What explains this current NPC trend?
according to a report by GuardianNPC streaming is both captivating and confusing to observers, but cultural researchers and streamers alike recognize deeper layers of meaning in the phenomenon. It represents a convergence of erotic work and gaming within online culture, which also reflects contemporary concerns surrounding the technology. according to the report.
At its core, NPC streaming serves as an inside joke that resonates with those familiar with role-playing games. Streamers mimic the strange behavior and interaction norms of non-player characters (NPCs) in video games, highlighting their unoriginal and repetitive nature. NPCs don’t react like normal people and don’t mind repeating themselves in conversation, making them interesting subjects for imitation.
The concept of NPCs has also entered mainstream cultural discourse, with far-right Internet users referring to liberals as “NPCs”, meaning to mindlessly repeat talking points. This has also been linked to the principles of living in simulations, as noted by Elon Musk.
However, NPC streamers are not promoting political messages or conspiracy theories. Instead, they have continued an online performance style reminiscent of the “e-girls” influencers of Twitch and TikTok in the early 2020s. These self-professed creators combine gamer culture aesthetics with cam girl influences to build a following.
NPC streams also have an erotic tone, which is evident in the most popular streams. Streamers such as Pinkydoll and Cherry Crush maintain OnlyFans accounts with explicit content, but their NPC streams do not contain overtly sexual content. Instead, these streams provide a sense of control to the creator, which fosters a sense of intimacy for the audience, as Report.