Whilst some people believe we are living in a simulation, some people are making serious money from acting like non-playable characters (NPCs).
Performing as the glitchy video game characters seems to be pretty big business, especially for OnlyFans and TikTok star PinkyDoll.
In fact, the content creator recently revealed how much she’s made from going viral on social media.
For those wondering how you embody an NPC, the viral sensation regularly films herself repeating bizarre phrases and tasks on TikTok.
During a recent live stream PinkyDoll, whose real name is Fedha Sinon, filmed herself popping popcorn kernels with a flat iron. (Yes, really!)
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And if that weren’t weird enough, her catchphrases ranged from ‘ice cream so good, yum yum’ to ‘yes, yes, yes’ as her followers tuned in for the strange proceedings.
Despite NPCs often being the bane of gamers’ lives, the trend has seemingly taken social media by storm with other creators now embodying the background characters.
However, this hasn’t taken away from the 27-year-old’s insane following - and how much she's earning from it.
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Having only recently gone viral, the content creator claims that she now makes around ‘$7,000 per day’ across various platforms.
In an interview with the New York Times, she even stated that she made $2000 to 3000 per stream on TikTok – thanks to fans sending her virtual stickers which have a real monetary value.
Just like an NPC, she’ll even react to the stickers by performing new actions or phrases with fans getting even more excited.
Reflecting on her rather bizarre business model, PinkyDoll told the New York Times that it happened almost by chance.
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“I was just being cute,” she explained, adding: “I remember someone saying, ‘Oh my God, you look like an NPC.’ And then they start sending me, like, crazy money.”
For those still curious about what makes a good NPC-a-like, the TikToker says she’s been heavily inspired by characters from Grand Theft Auto.
Dressed in valour miniskirts and matching crop tops, it’s not hard to see how she embodies the motoring game’s NPCs with their nostalgic noughties fashion.
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She even told the newspaper: “I’m going to try to do it like them.”
Unsurprisingly, the 27-year-old has continued to grow in popularity and has claimed that several celebrities have followed her.
In her recent TikToks, Pinkydoll even shared footage of producer Timberland remixing her voice and rapper Cardi B retweeting a clip of her as NPC.
Katherine Sidnell