non-player character

noun

non-play·​er character ˈnän-ˈplā-ər- 

variants or less commonly non-playable character

ˈnän-ˈplā-ə-bəl- 

plural non-player characters also non-playable characters

: npc:

a

: a character in a video game that does not represent and cannot be manipulated by a player

During the adventure, players will get the opportunity to travel with several different non-player characters.

—Charlie Hall

Every single non-playable character has a unique background—occupation, hobbies, relationships, felonies, special abilities—all of which are generated by the game's "Census" system.

—Lewis Gordon

compare avatar sense 1

b

: a character in a role-playing board game, card game, or live-action game that is controlled or performed by an organizer, facilitator, or supporting participant

Often, leaders of these [Dungeons and Dragons] games will create an entire world of their own, with their own special monsters, weapons, and non-player characters.

—Dara Edwards

What happens on the adventure is dictated by the Dungeon Master, who serves as a storyteller of sorts. Using a campaign book, the Dungeon Master sets the scene, interprets and relays the rules, and voices any of the non-playable characters you'll meet along the way.

—Liam Martin

Examples of non-player character in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are several safe bases scattered throughout the Zone where Skif can interact with non-player characters to advance the story missions. —Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024

The theory is that generative AI could make NPCs (non-player characters) smarter, more realistic, and more unpredictable in their behavior or interactions and speech. —Brian Welk, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2024

Thankfully, director Shawn Levy landed the in-demand actor to lead Free Guy, the 2021 film about an NPC (that’s non-player character, for you non-gamers) who becomes sentient. —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 July 2024

Nevertheless, the intrusions from passing players, often intent on killing Sam or Mark or each other, and non-player characters (NPCs) seem real enough — and heaven knows dramatic recreations are rampant these days in documentaries, there to fill out the bits the camera could never have captured. —Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024

Players might not want to get involved in romance but the fallout from non-player characters breakup up can create massive intrigue that every Vampire player loves. —Rob Wieland, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024

The couple is tapping into a new social media trend: live-streaming on TikTok while saying strange phrases robotically, mimicking an NPC, or non-player character, in the video game world. —Linda Chong, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2023

So non-player characters in particular can be built a lot more quickly, a lot more effectively, with a lot more more impact. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above