TikTok’s NPC ‘Ice Cream So Good’ Meme, Explained

TikTok creator “Pinkydoll” recently blew up on Twitter after clips of her seemingly random catchphrases and cartoonish movements baffled commentators; Twitter had uncovered the weird world of TikTok “NPC” livestreams.

While Pinkydoll (@pinkydollreal) was the first to gain widespread attention, curious Twitter users soon discovered that other TikTok streamers were doing the same thing, and reacted with horror; had the future of mindless entertainment predicted in Fahrenheit 451 become reality?

One user wrote, “Any time I accidentally happen upon a TikTok live, I feel like I am watching the world end.” Another wrote: “this is like something you’d seen on a screen in the background of a verhoeven movie to show how dumb and insane the future is.”

What is TikTok’s NPC trend?

NPC stands for “non-player character” in a videogame; think of the chatty pedestrians of Grand Theft Auto, or the glitchy shopkeepers and guards of Skyrim. These computer-controlled characters are meant to imbue video game worlds with the illusion of life, of bustling cityscapes and medieval marketplaces, but their repetitive animation cycles and limited dialogue often leads to unintended hilarity.

Gamers on YouTube have been creating comedy videos by copying jerky movements of videogame characters for years, but the trend has leaked into TikTok live and allowed content creators to monetize the meme.

TikTok live allows viewers to donate money to a streamer, with donations appearing onscreen as a “gift,” like an ice cream cone. NPC streamers react to each gift with a predetermined phrase or movement; Pinkydoll, for example, reacts to the ice cream emoji with “ice cream so good.”

Ice Cream So Good

The NPC clips soon sparked a meme, with Twitter users posting clips and images of serious figures such as Noam Chomsky, Slavoj Žižek and Jordan Peterson as NPC streamers.

A clip of a TikTok creator NPC streaming during an intervention from his confused and concerned parents went viral with 32 million views on Twitter, encapsulating how strange the trend appeared to outsiders.

The opportunity to monetize NPC streaming led to others jumping on the trend, such as YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat; one Twitter user posted a clip of their TikTok timeline, completely taken over by NPC streamers.

There were varying reactions to the NPC clips; some found them strangely soothing, or sexually suggestive, while others viewed the trend as outright dystopian. Some suggested that the job had more dignity than customer service and applauded the streamers for finding their niche in the absurd landscape of the modern economy.

Many noted that Pinkydoll was genuinely skilled, spending hours transitioning effortlessly from one NPC response to another.

Pinkydoll seemed to agree, having released a video responding to her haters, emphasizing that they were wasting their time sending her angry messages while she had found a way to earn money on TikTok.

The surge of outrage, admiration and bemusement has led to an increase in visibility for Pinkydoll; her TikTok account currently boasts more than 590,000 followers. In an interview with the NYTimes, Pinkydoll admitted that she is still “not really sure” what an NPC is, but said she can make as much as $3000 per stream.

Some people, it seems, are more than willing to pay for the privilege of watching a real human say ”ice cream so good” on demand.