What exactly is NPC streaming? In case you have not heard of the trend yet, NPC streaming is a type of cosplay where streamers go live on TikTok and act like non-playable characters (NPC) in video games. What makes the trend more interesting is that the streamers take cues from their followers.
Koby Colls and his fiancée Gloria Briggs are among the content creators tapping into the potential of live-streaming on TikTok to make extra bucks. The couple is part of a growing community of NPC streamers.
According to experts, NPC streaming is gaining popularity because it gets the followers involved in the content creator’s action. In other trends and live-streams, the content creator either makes a video of themselves playing a game or comes up with an idea that they share with their followers.
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In NPC streaming, the content creators become the puppet of their followers in the sense that they take cues from their followers and either robotically say the phrases or act in strange—and sometimes oddly amusing—ways reminiscent of NPCs in video games.
Watching a typical NPC streaming, you will see the screen occasionally flush with animations, filters, or emojis which the content creator reacts to or acts out. Interestingly, these donations are bought using TikTok coins which were launched on 27 February 2022.
TikTok coins are bought with real money for about 1.5 cents per coin. However, the price tends to fluctuate daily and often varies from one country to another. According to the Washington Post, Colls and Briggs make $200 for their NPC streaming act on TikTok. The couple invests the money in the education and extracurriculars of their children.
Why has NPC streaming become so popular on TikTok?
While other platforms like Facebook have a mechanism for followers to donate to content creators, the surge in spending on NPC streaming cosplay has been blamed on the fact that viewers get the sense that they are actively involved in what they are watching.
“There is a micro-acknowledgement for each of your inputs into these streams,” explained Syracuse University associate professor at the School of Information Studies, Jaime Banks.
According to Banks, seeing the creators react to requests creates a connection between the creator and the viewer—and this makes a lot of sense. When Diablo IV was released, Blizzard actually paid Megan Fox to eulogize player deaths. Consequently, people were invited to send in their death clips on social media.
Fans of celebrities are often eager to get noticed by their celebrity crush. Thankfully, TikTok has become a platform where celebrities (and even relatively unknown teenagers) now find a massive audience for their craft. Seeing these “celebrities” act or read out prompts from viewers serves as the dopamine that triggers them to spend more.
Also, since it was revealed that people are making money through NPC streaming, more creators have jumped on the bandwagon with the hope of making quick bucks. However, what many of them don’t know is that TikTok takes a 50% commission on every gift received by a creator.
The entire idea behind NPC streaming feels pointless
Cherry Crush is a popular TikToker that was credited as the one that popularized NPC streaming (others argue that it was Montreal-based TikToker, Pinkydoll). For those that are familiar with video games, NPCs are more like fluffs that bring the gaming world to life. They are controlled by computers (and are sometimes AI-generated random characters).
NPCs are more like spice that populate the game world and make them feel more alive. The explanation is that gamers often have their favorite NPCs in any game and NPC streaming was created to bring that relationship to life. However, it is hard to imagine that any gamer would build a relationship with an NPC.
It’s important to mention that NPC streaming is not new. One of the foremost NPC streamers was a Japanese TikToker with the username @natuecoco. Speaking with Insider, she said every NPC in a video game is a unique art piece. In her streams, she plays a robotic character that responds to fans’ commands.
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“If you think about a statue at a museum, people have varying responses to it,” she said. “When I perform, I can see those different reactions and experiences in real-time and learn about them.”
Like every other trend, it is only a matter of time before viewers become saturated with the act or it is replaced by a new trend. Regardless of which comes first, most creators are already thinking ahead. For Colls and Briggs, the fortune from NPC streaming has inspired them to consider creating videos that will involve their children.
What’s there about NPC streamer’s act to love?
“Hot dogs yum.” “I’m hungry.” “Grab.” These are some of the catchphrases that NPC streamers say repeatedly while acting like low-grade robots. Typical NPC streaming sessions last anywhere from one to four hours and it is hard to imagine that anyone would sit for that long watching that.
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“A few decades ago, they used to run commercials saying, ‘This is your brains on drugs’,” said YouTuber that goes by the name @atozy. “At this point in time, I feel like we are not that many years away from them running new commercials saying, ‘This is your brain on TikTok algorithm’.”
Sadly, some of those jumping on the trend know nothing about NPCs and this is evident in their armature and clueless acts. AIs can pull up a better act—and would replace most content creators unless they get creative. It is even more surprising to know that people sit for hours watching those acts—and even pay for them.
As they say, different strokes for different folks. Also, many people believe that the end justifies the means. So, any new stream of income that puts an extra jingle in their pocket is worth a shot.
By the way, how much do you think NPC streamers can make? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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