Video Game Scholar

gameplay

NPC

Also known as: Non-player character

By VGS Daniel

A character controlled by the game rather than by a player.

A non-player character is any character the game controls, such as shopkeepers, quest-givers, or townsfolk. The term comes from tabletop role-playing games.

Cite this page

VGS Daniel. “NPC.” Video Game Scholar, 25 Sept. 2026, videogamescholar.com/dictionary/npc.

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