Brands as NPCs

If you’re a gamer you know what an NPC is. If you’re not - it stands for non-player character.

While that’s technically any game character you don’t directly control, it usually connotes those that range from neutral to helpful (not obviously hostile).

I don’t play many video games these days. Back when I did, you could expect NPCs to be one or more of the following:

• Irrelevant. Some NPCs were just world-filler. Citizens loitering or wandering aimlessly around a town. Click on ‘em and they’d spout off one of a few set phrases, but it ended there.

• Pushy. Some NPCs wanted you to do stuff for them. Kill this dragon, find that scroll, whatever. Get close enough and they’d run up, bump into you, and say something like, “Hey! I need to talk to you.” Oh really? They’d promise you something in return.

• Repetitive. NPCs were prone to having the same conversation with you over and over again. No matter how many times they saw you. Just in case you forgot their bit of the story I suppose.

I smell an analogy.

But NPCs are integral to any game (at least ones with stories). You can’t get very far without them. And when they’re well-done, they can make a game more immersive, more entertaining, and even inspire affection.

Video game makers have gotten better at their craft. Not only in terms of NPCs, but the entire experience. For example:

• Branching dialogue. Letting players influence NPC interactions - and ultimately game outcomes - enhances game depth and replayability. Does your brand offer choices? And do the choices matter, or is it the same old conversation after all?

• Non-linearity. Non-linear play means no longer having to go from NPC to quest to NPC to quest ’til the damn thing is over with. Providing ways to stay engaged without dictating every last step. Is your brand like a sandbox, or a Skinner box? What kind of environment can you create?

• Being human. On a low level this means better simulacra. On a higher level, maybe it means just doing a really good job of enabling people to play with each other. Does your brand encourage people to connect with one another? Does it get better with more people involved? Or are you a single-player game?