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The popular social media app used to upload 30-second videos is a hub for trends and their aftermaths. Recently one such trend took the internet by storm, where users live stream themselves acting like “NPCs” or automated “non-player characters” found in video games. These influencers partaking in the trend respond with pre-written catchphrases while receiving virtual gifts.
During these live streams, viewers send monetary tips to the creators, which appear on the screen as cartoon gifts. The creators react in real-time with their catchphrases, and the speed at which they respond without breaking character has caught people’s attention. One such creator with the username Pinkydoll earned 7,000 USD per day. The trend has attracted a significant following, and creators like Pinkydoll are known for their hours-long NPC live streams that have generated a massive increase in earnings. Pinkydoll, with nearly 500,000 followers, now makes around 7,000 USD a day or more through her live streams, a considerable increase from her earlier earnings of about 250 USD per day.
An NPC, short for non-player character, originated from the game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) in 1975, which was the first commercial tabletop role-playing game. In D&D, NPCs were characters controlled by the gamemaster or dungeon master to enhance the game’s storyline, such as merchants, orcs, and wizards.
TikTok’s live gifts feature has become a valuable resource for content creators seeking to monetize their work and grow their audience. When creators live stream on TikTok, viewers can express their appreciation and support by sending them video gifts, which can later be converted into actual money. To obtain these gifts, users use TikTok coins, the platform’s currency. Users can buy packages of TikTok coins with real money and then use these coins to purchase the different video gifts available.