TikTok’s Main Character Funeral: Why Gen Z Is Embracing ‘NPC Energy’ in 2025

Introduction

If you’ve been on TikTok in 2025, you’ve probably seen the shift: less dramatized “main character” Broadway monologues and more steady, repetitive, oddly comforting streams where creators play an almost robotic role. Welcome to the so-called “main character funeral” — a cultural pivot where Gen Z is burying the overtly performative main character syndrome and experimenting with something almost oppositional: NPC energy.

This trend isn’t just aesthetic whimsy. It’s riding a perfect storm of platform dynamics, attention economy fatigue, live-stream monetization, and generational mental health priorities. TikTok’s user base — projected to reach around 1.08 billion global users in 2025, with roughly 135.79 million monthly active users in the U.S. — provides fertile ground for format experiments that spread fast. TikTok Live, in particular, has become a runway for NPC content: watch hours grew about 30% quarter-over-quarter in early 2025, and the NPC livestream trend peaked on Google Trends in March 2025.

In this post we’ll analyze why Gen Z is drawn to NPC energy, how TikTok’s technical and commercial shifts helped amplify it, what it means for culture (and for the “that girl era” aesthetic), and how brands and creators can engage with the trend ethically and effectively. We’ll use available data to explain the phenomenon and finish with clear, actionable takeaways so creators and trend watchers can respond in real time. Whether you’re tired of performative authenticity or you want to understand the next wave of microtrends, this trend analysis will unpack the NPC pivot from multiple angles.

Understanding the Shift: From Main Character Syndrome to NPC Energy

Main character syndrome has dominated social media culture for years. It’s the polished, cinematic version of a life lived to camera: narrative arcs, high-production selfies, and the “that girl era” checklist (plane tickets, bullet journal spreads, curated morning routines). The appeal is simple — elevated selfhood, aspirational storytelling, and clear protagonism. But the very features that made main character content addictive also made it exhausting: constant curation, performance pressure, and a dizzying stream of upgrade prompts.

Enter NPC energy. In gaming terms, an NPC (non-player character) is background: repetitive, predictable, and designed to be interacted with rather than to steal the show. On TikTok, creators leaning into NPC energy intentionally adopt staccato delivery, repeated lines or actions, and a controlled lack of emotional escalation. The result is content that reads as calm, oddly meditative, and refreshingly unambitious. Rather than centering themselves as protagonists, creators become fixtures — comforting, consistent, and sometimes interactive in very mechanized ways.

Why now? A few cultural and platform factors converge:

- Attention fatigue: Gen Z is feeling the cognitive toll of continuous self-branding. Many users find relief in content that doesn’t demand performative reciprocation. - Desire for predictability: NPC streams offer ritualized repetition. Viewers know what to expect, and predictability can feel stabilizing in a chaotic world. - Novelty and irony: Playing an NPC is also a post-ironic move — it’s a way to signal self-awareness about social media theater while monetizing that very awareness. - ASMR and trance overlaps: NPC content often leans on ASMR-adjacent rhythms — repetitive sounds, whispery clips, and small predictable interactions that create a calming loop for viewers.

Data supports the platform’s receptiveness. TikTok users spend an average of 45.8 minutes per day on the app, which means sustained formats like live NPC streams have the time to build habitual viewership. TikTok Live’s rising watch hours (up 30% QoQ) indicate an appetite for longer-form, interactive formats where NPC energy thrives. The NPC livestream trend’s March 2025 peak on Google Trends shows that this isn’t a localized fad — it reached a global critical mass.

Culturally, the move away from main character syndrome isn’t total rejection. Elements of the that girl era — self-care, routine, and visible progress — still exist. But NPC energy reinterprets those elements: routines become rituals you watch rather than participate in, and self-care becomes something observed with quiet detachment rather than loudly announced.

Key Components and Analysis: What Makes NPC Energy Work on TikTok

To analyze the trend, we need to break NPC energy into its functional components and look at how TikTok’s architecture amplifies them.

Repetition and Predictability

NPC streams rely on repetition: the same phrases, small scripted interactions per virtual gift, looped behaviors. This taps into psychological effects similar to ASMR and ritualized content. Repetition reduces cognitive load, which is why viewers can tune in during commutes, breaks, or late-night scrolling. Predictability becomes an asset in an attention economy built on surprise.

Interactivity and Monetization

One of the most important mechanics is interaction. Viewers buy virtual gifts to trigger specific NPC responses — a performed “thank you,” a pre-set reaction, a sound cue. This transactional choreography is lucrative for creators. TikTok Live’s watch hours growth (30% QoQ) reflects that audiences are spending more time in monetizable, interactive spaces. Platforms incentivize creators by sharing revenue on gifts, and the gift-trigger model rewards repeatable behaviors — a perfect fit for NPC-style content.

Platform Fit: Mobile-First Live Streaming and Gaming Crossovers

TikTok has leaned into mobile gaming streams and mobile-first interactions, differentiating itself from desktop-centric services like Twitch. Integration with mobile games and smaller, snackable stream formats makes TikTok ideal for NPC content. Games such as Mobile Legends and mobile esports content cross-pollinate with NPC-style performative play, bringing gaming audiences who already value predictable mechanics and looped behaviors.

ASMR and Trance-Like Quality

Many NPC streams use whispering, soft sounds, and minimal movement — all resonant with ASMR. That ASMR-like characteristic extends engagement beyond purely visual appeal; it appeals to tactile and auditory senses, producing a calming effect that encourages longer watch times and repeat visits.

Platform Scale and Environmental Cost

TikTok’s scale — projected 1.08 billion users in 2025 and massive engagement metrics — accelerates trend spread. But that scale comes with costs: TikTok’s video-heavy model consumes significant energy. Users spend on average 45.8 minutes a day on the app, and TikTok has one of the highest emissions-per-minute among social platforms, second only to YouTube, producing carbon emissions comparable to whole countries in aggregate. Critics point out that rising popularity of always-on live formats could increase environmental footprint as creators stream more frequently and servers process more real-time interactions.

Moderation and Safety Concerns

NPC livestreams have been polarizing. The repetitive, trance-like nature raises concerns about impact on minors and vulnerable viewers. Reports have flagged issues such as inappropriate content slipping through live streams and unauthorized in-app purchases by minors. Parental monitoring apps like Safe Lagoon have been cited as responses, but regulatory scrutiny from the U.S. and EU over data usage and advertising is ongoing. TikTok’s ranking — fifth in social media popularity in some measures and delivering over 252 million downloads in Q2 2024 alone — means regulatory changes could significantly affect monetization and distribution for NPC creators.

Cultural Resonance: Irony, Burnout, and New Authenticity

NPC energy taps into Gen Z’s broader cultural signals: it’s ironic yet sincere, performative yet intentionally low-effort. It acknowledges burnout from perpetual self-promotion and offers an alternative identity mode: being present but not amplified. This resonates with mental health conversations where slowing down is framed as resistance.

In short, NPC energy works because it leverages TikTok’s technical affordances (live, interactive, mobile-first), monetization systems (gifts triggering responses), and cultural mood (fatigue with performative authenticity). The result is a format that’s both commercially viable and emotionally resonant.

Practical Applications: How Creators, Brands, and Communities Can Use NPC Energy

If you’re a creator, brand manager, or trend strategist, NPC energy offers tactical opportunities — but they require nuance. Below are ways different stakeholders can apply the trend.

For Creators - Test low-effort, high-consistency formats: Start with short scripted loops and iterate. NPC content rewards predictability, so a daily 30–45 minute ritual stream can build habitual viewership. - Build interaction ladders: Map out virtual-gift triggers and tiered responses so fans feel progression and impact. This boosts gift-driven revenue. - Blend NPC with authenticity: Use NPC beats for routine segments and reserve candid moments for genuine connection. That balance keeps novelty from becoming alienating. - Consider wellness boundaries: If your NPC persona is calming, set content warnings for repetitive triggers and avoid encouraging addictive spending behaviors.

For Brands - Subtle product placement: NPC formats are ideal for persistent, soft-placed product cues. A fashion brand can partner with NPC creators to have consistent “wardrobe loop” shots where a brand tag or color palette becomes part of the ritual without a hard sell. - Micro-ecommerce integration: Tie shoppable moments to predictable NPC actions. When the creator performs a certain loop, a product card appears — leveraging TikTok Shop dynamics to convert viewers. - Sponsor ritualized content: Brands can sponsor a creator’s recurring segment (e.g., “Monday Mini-Loop sponsored by X”) to build familiarity rather than interrupt the vibe with aggressive ads.

For Community Managers and Moderators - Pre-set moderation FAQ and safety triggers: Because NPC streams can attract minors and real-money transactions, use pre-set moderation prompts and clear spend warnings. - Use layered moderation: Human oversight plus AI filters can better catch boundary-crossing content in live streams. - Educate audiences: Run periodic in-stream disclaimers about spending and age, and link to resources.

For Trend Analysts and Researchers - Track cross-platform diffusion: NPC energy might mutate on other platforms; measure how Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram interpret the format. - Monitor engagement vs. sustainability: Compare watch-time growth against creator burnout metrics and platform carbon footprint.

Actionable Creator Blueprint (quick) - Launch a 30-minute daily NPC stream at the same time. - Create 3-5 gift-response tiers with distinct sounds/actions. - Offer a weekly “break” stream for unstructured authenticity. - Measure watch time, gift revenue, and chat engagement weekly and iterate.

Challenges and Solutions: Safety, Authenticity, and Sustainability

NPC energy’s rise isn’t frictionless. Here are the main challenges and practical solutions.

Monetization Ethics and Microtransactions

Challenge: The gift-trigger economy can exploit impulsive spending, especially among minors. Solution: Creators and brands should adopt transparent disclosure. Implement opt-in interactions (fans choose to see “premium” NPC reactions), set clear age gates, and advise viewers on spend limits in-stream. Platforms should make purchase prompts explicit and require reconfirmation for in-app buys.

Content Safety and Moderation

Challenge: Live streams are harder to moderate; repetitive, trance-like content can lull moderation systems and allow problematic material to slip through. Solution: Use layered moderation: AI filters for keywords, human moderators in high-traffic streams, and community reporting tools. Parents should be encouraged to use monitoring apps (Safe Lagoon and similar) and enable screen-time limits.

Creator Burnout and Emotional Labor

Challenge: Maintaining repetitive NPC routines can be emotionally draining. The ‘mechanized’ persona doesn’t protect creators from pressure to monetize every stream. Solution: Schedule forced rest days and rotate NPC duties among multiple collaborators. Brands and platforms should offer revenue smoothing — minimum guarantees for creators to reduce pressure to stream constantly.

Authenticity vs. Irony

Challenge: NPC energy walks a fine line between critique and reinforcement of performativity. It can be weaponized as a cynical content tactic, eroding long-term trust. Solution: Mix NPC content with transparent behind-the-scenes material. Occasional candid streams preserve trust; authenticity doesn’t have to be constant but should be real when it appears.

Environmental Impact

Challenge: Increased live streaming and long watch times escalate energy consumption. TikTok already ranks high in emissions per minute; analysts have compared its total emissions to those of entire countries such as Greece. Solution: Platforms must invest in greener infrastructure and carbon offset programs. Creators can be part of the solution by minimizing unnecessary stream lengths, batching content offline when possible, and promoting sustainability messages. Brands partnering with creators can sponsor carbon-neutral initiatives tied to high-engagement events.

Regulatory Pressure

Challenge: With growing scrutiny from the U.S. and EU over data and advertising, regulation could alter in-stream monetization formulas and data collection practices. Solution: Stay proactive. Creators and brands should adopt privacy-first practices, collect minimal data, and be transparent about sponsorships. Monitor policy changes and diversify revenue streams (merch, subscriptions) to hedge against sudden policy shifts.

Audience Fragmentation

Challenge: NPC energy won’t appeal to everyone. Main character and aspirational content still have enthusiastic audiences. Solution: Accept pluralism. Use NPC as one strategy among many. Use analytics to identify audience overlap and tailor content ladders — keep some segments aspirational and others ritualized.

Future Outlook: Where NPC Energy Could Go Next

NPC energy is more than a meme. It’s an experiment in identity management that taps into deeper generational currents. Here’s how it might evolve.

Short-term (6–12 months) - Continued Growth in Live: With TikTok Live watch hours up 30% QoQ in early 2025 and the NPC trend peaking March 2025, expect more creators to test ritualized streams. Watch for increased sponsorships and branded trigger packs. - Hybrid Formats: Creators will fuse NPC loops with structured storytelling — think “NPC with a plot” where the mechanical persona occasionally drops serialized narratives to retain engagement.

Medium-term (1–2 years) - Cross-platform Migration: Formats that work on TikTok will migrate to other networks. Twitch may adopt condensed “NPC segments,” while Instagram could roll out “reel rituals.” - Gaming and Esports Integration: Mobile gaming streams will merge with NPC mechanics, creating monetizable hybrid formats appealing to gaming audiences. Gaming companies may sponsor NPC streamers to simulate in-game NPC behavior as promotion.

Long-term (3+ years) - Cultural Normalization: NPC energy could become an accepted mode of public life online — a “mood” comparable to main character or that girl aesthetics. We might see offline translations: routine-driven content in IRL spaces (cafes with NPC-themed nights) or performance troupes. - Regulatory and Ethical Maturation: As platforms, regulators, and creators negotiate safety and monetization rules, NPC formats will formalize best practices (age verification, purchase safeguards, environmental commitments). - New Creator Economies: If the gift economy stabilizes, expect specialized NPC creators with subscription tiers, scripted response libraries, and branded “NPC packs” for fans to customize interactions.

Data-driven caveat Platform-scale factors will shape trajectory. TikTok’s runaway downloads (252 million in Q2 2024) and its ranking within the social media landscape make it a persistent incubator. But environmental critiques (high emissions per minute) and regulatory actions could force rapid changes in live monetization design. Creators should be nimble and prepared to pivot monetization models if gift economies become restricted.

Culturally, the shift signals Gen Z’s continued appetite for modes of expression that resist easy categorization. NPC energy blends irony, comfort, and commerce in a way that’s quintessentially postmodern — self-aware, market-savvy, and emotionally cautious.

Conclusion

The “main character funeral” is less an obituary and more a cultural rebalancing. Gen Z isn’t rejecting selfhood or aspiration; it’s diversifying how identity is performed online. NPC energy appeals because it reduces the pressure to constantly narrate, offers predictable comfort, and fits a platform economy that rewards interactivity and ritualized behavior.

TikTok’s scale — about 1.08 billion users projected in 2025, U.S. MAU ~135.79 million, an average 45.8 minutes of daily use per user, with TikTok Live watch hours rising 30% QoQ — turned NPC energy from an experiment into a movement. The March 2025 peak on Google Trends demonstrated collective interest, and the trend’s monetization potential (virtual gifts, brand partnerships) has drawn creators and marketers. Yet the trend isn’t without friction: content safety, minor protection, environmental costs, and regulatory pressures are real constraints that demand ethical decisions from creators, platforms, and brands.

For creators: test, iterate, and prioritize mental and financial sustainability. For brands: lean into subtle, ritual-friendly integrations rather than interruptive ads. For platforms and regulators: balance monetization with safety and environmental responsibility. And for audiences: be conscious consumers — enjoy the calm, but respect boundaries.

NPC energy may look like a quiet internet patina, but it signals a louder generational preference: privacy where needed, ritual where comforting, and irony when useful. If main character syndrome was the loud, cinematic adolescence of social media, consider NPC energy the introspective adulthood — quieter, more intentional, and, for many, exactly what they need right now.

Actionable takeaways - Creators: Start a consistent, predictably scheduled NPC stream; map at least three gift-response tiers; keep one weekly candid stream to maintain trust. - Brands: Sponsor ritual segments or provide “trigger packs” that integrate seamlessly with NPC loops; avoid hard-sell interruptions. - Platforms: Invest in greener infrastructure, require explicit purchase confirmations, and increase live-moderation resources. - Parents & Moderators: Use parental controls and monitoring apps like Safe Lagoon; set spending alerts and age verification where possible. - Analysts: Monitor watch-time, gift revenue, and regulatory changes to anticipate shifts in the monetization model.

This trend is part irony, part coping mechanism, and wholly emblematic of how Gen Z navigates meaning in a noisy digital landscape. The main character may be taking a bow, but the NPC is already on guard, steady and strangely reassuring.