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 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

: 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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of non-player character was in 1979

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Non-player character.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-player%20character. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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