On TikTok, the most talked about trend of the season is not a dance, sound or style. Rather, it’s a set of mannerisms used by TikTok streamers to emulate non-player characters — NPCs — who robotically repeat pre-programmed phases and movements in exchange for cash gifts. The NPC streamer phenomenon has been widely analysed, both for its shock value and as a sign of a significant shift in the relationship between content creators and audiences.
But the “non” energy of non-player characters isn’t exclusive to a sect of streamers. Doing the least is trending, from the return of normcore in fashion that favours the ubiquitous over the unique to side character energy offered up as an alternative to main character syndrome.
Inside this mini report, we explore how individuality lost its edge, NPC vibes as an indicator of a new era of influence, and the platform psychology driving it all.
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