All through TikTok livestreams, the phrases and actions the “character” reacts with appear from virtual items, which viewers can invest in and ship to creators as they stream. NPC creators just just have to channel their interior Alexa, responding to distinct gift instructions with their own set of picked phrases. For illustration, one particular of the trend’s pioneers, TikToker Pinkydoll, responds to items with phrases like “ice product so good”,  “slay, huh”, and balloon popping noises. 

The seems and reactions faucet into now common developments on TikTok, such as ASMR, where by streamers converse or make a assortment of seems really shut to their microphone, these as calming rain or the purr of a cat, to trigger a actual physical or emotional response in their viewers.

So what’s the determination for NPC streamers? Like most items on line, there’s the potential to go viral, teamed with an prospect to make some dollars. Thinking about some of TikTok’s presents are priced at very well in excess of $700 a pop, it stands to purpose that there’s some major cash to be manufactured for creators offering the new phenomenon a go.