A recent TikTok live trend has recently blown up on Twitter. Streamers on the platform are acting like NPCs, and it’s somehow even stranger than it sounds.
TikTok live streamers (if you didn’t know they existed, congratulations, you’re old) are doing idle animations and repeating barks—a short video game voice line or sound. Most people who saw it were confused, but some instantly knew that when some new, unexplained trend surfaced, it’s likely due to a fetish. In this case, an NPC fetish.
TikTokkers Pinkydoll and Cherry Crush are front and center of the reactions on Twitter, but there are many more who stream as NPCs. Apparently, this is an evolution of ASMR streams. Personally, I never liked those either. The idea of someone whispering breathily at me while I try to sleep is my own personal hell, and I’m not one to yuck someone’s yum, but I’m not a fan of this either, so I’ll be avoiding TikTok live for the foreseeable future.
The streamers are reacting to stickers that are being sent to them on TikTok live. Like Twitch bits, each sticker they receive earns them some cash, and they’re making the corresponding sounds.
While the initial reaction to seeing Pinkdoll rapidly saying “Gang gang. Yes yes yes. Gang gang. Ice cream so good. Gang gang,” was confusion, people are now accepting this new normal and memeing it.
The Blade Runner 2049 ones are my favorite, but I’m partial to a good Mad Men meme too, and Twitter is providing.
Well, there you have it. If you didn’t already know this was happening, I’m sorry this was how you found out.
