NPC Streams! So Good! Mmm, So Good!

Grab your telescopes because this week on Endless Thread Ben and NPR Short Wave host Emily Kwong take us down two science-related internet wormholes. First, Emily introduces us to the intergalactic world of astronaut fan fiction, starring the crew of the 2026 Artemis II moon miss ...  Show more

The 190 passengers of a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey to Palma de Mallorca, Spain had settled into their seats for their overnight flight when the captain gave an announcement: everyone had to turn off their Bluetooth devices — or he was going to turn around the ...  Show more

E38: Some TikTok Live streamers, like Pinkydoll, are making tens of thousands of dollars a month streaming themselves reacting to monetary gifts with canned responses, like a video game NPC. The TikTok NPC trend gives a lot to learn. It shows just how big the market is and how mu ...  Show more

Just when you thought the internet couldn't possibly become more like an episode of Black Mirror, Ben is here to introduce you to some chilling TikTok Live money making schemes. Creators are becoming more and more like NPCs and TikTok's payouts are becoming more and more dystopia ...  Show more

Non-Player Characters have come out to play! NPCs are infiltrating the airwaves, and the girls are interested in the overlap between the social media phenomenon and the transactional action that has origins in the cam space. Level up your kink with a review of a "Free Guy" parody ...  Show more

I typically refrain from commenting on trending topics, but I found myself unable to resist discussing this particular one. An unusual (to say the least) TikTok trend has emerged, where users live-stream themselves portraying an “NPC”—essentially an automated “non-player chara ...