The phrase “ice cream so good” has been all over TikTok lately as more and more people discover NPC livestreams. But what exactly are they? Here’s everything you need to know.
Even our own writers were a little confused when clips of TikToker pinkydoll’s live streams permeated the Twitter barrier earlier this week. More so because of her decision to use a hair straightener to make popcorn, but the obvious was there too.
What is happening here? Why is this young woman repeating phrases on an apparent loop? The easy answers to those questions came when it was discovered she was being paid using TikTok’s sticker function and the phrases corresponded to the stickers people paid for.
Now the next question in the logical path of inquiry has arisen: who’s paying for this and why? The answer is apparently people with what has been coined an NPC kink.
I finally found out what kind of fetish this is and it’s a fucking NPC fetish. I don’t think it can get more niche than this https://t.co/5062hgVCKQ
— ☆ fatimah with a ‘h’ ☆ (@itsjustfatimah) July 13, 2023
What is TikTok’s viral NPC fetish?
Video game NPCs are Non-Player-Characters that are not controlled by any human operative. They mostly regurgitate scripted lines giving tasks or information and work to make the world feel lived in.
NPC streamers, most commonly found on TikTok, seemingly work to emulate the characteristics of video game NPCs primarily through repetitive actions and dialogue. Aesthetics in the medium are sometimes appropriated from other forms of entertainment like sci-fi or anime.
In a way reminiscent of AI in media depictions, NPC streamers give the appearance of being human shells without emotion or personality. This appears to be the core appeal to viewers who engage with these streams, to act as programmers in control.
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In exchange for token payments via TikTok’s stickers, performers like pinkydoll will regurgitate phrases like “ice cream so good” or “gang gang” on repeat for hours on end. There’s no denying the stamina and performance skill that would be required to maintain this for extended periods of time but Twitter users have noticed a palpable sexual undercurrent to the content.
Cut from the same cloth… pic.twitter.com/1IAP6BszfZ
— Splucy on Twitch (@splucy) July 12, 2023
Since the content found its way into the wider public eye, many have suggested that people with control or coercion kinks may be using the content to fulfill certain desires. Particularly the idea of controlling their own doll or video game character.
It has been compared by commenters to online sex work like Fansly and OnlyFans being published on a platform readily accessible by children. Others are saying it’s dehumanizing to the creators and expressing concern.
It’s important to note that streamers like pinkydoll and cherrycrush_tv are willing participants and likely know about the nature of certain viewers. They’re seemingly fine with it and are making a bag in being so.
Regardless of how you feel about it, the content is already proving massively popular with pinkydoll’s TikTok sitting climbing to 261K followers in the past few days, and cherry_crush TV just ahead at 300K. Tens of thousands of viewers are tuning into their live streams and the proceeds are sure to be substantial.
This recent step into the public spotlight has only caused their reach to grow with pinkydoll’s follower count growing over 10K in the last week alone and continuing to skyrocket at the time of writing.