The NPC trend is a recent phenomenon on TikTok where human creators imitate non-playable characters (NPCs) from video games. NPCs are background characters in video games with repetitive movements and sayings, and no storylines. The main, playable, character can interact with them but only in limited ways. People pretending to be NPCs on TikTok perform scripted lines and reactions to purchased “gifts” from their fans that then appear on screen as emojis. The trend has been popularized by creators like @pinkydollreal and @cherrycrush, who have been earning thousands of dollars per day. Some people are calling the NPC trend a fetish, while others disavow this sentiment. People watch NPCs on TikTok for a variety of reasons, including the fast pace of the videos and the gratification they feel from controlling the human NPCs on-camera reactions in real time. The NPC trend is not guaranteed to stick around, but experts think it could be more than just a flash in the pan.