Player character

A player character (PC), or playable character, is a fictional figure in a video game or tabletop role-playing game that a player controls, as opposed to being governed by the game's rules. This character acts as a fictional, alternate body for the player. Characters not under a player's control are known as non-player characters (NPCs); in video games, the game itself typically handles their actions, while in tabletop games, a gamemaster (GM) follows rules to do so.

Video games usually assign one player character per person playing. However, some games—like multiplayer online battle arenas, hero shooters, and fighting games—let players choose from a group of characters, controlling one at a time. When multiple player characters are available, they may have unique abilities and distinct play styles.

A player character can be based on a real person, especially in sports games using real athletes' names and likenesses. Historical figures and leaders also appear, notably in strategy or empire-building games such as the Sid Meier's Civilization series. Such characters are more properly called avatars, as their name and image often have little impact on the game itself. Avatars are also common in casino game simulations.

In many video games, particularly first-person shooters, the player character is a "blank slate" with no notable characteristics or backstory. Examples include Pac-Man, Crono from *Chrono Trigger*, Link from *The Legend of Zelda*, Chell from *Portal*, and Claude from *Grand Theft Auto III*. These are generally silent protagonists. Some games go further, never showing or naming the player character at all—common in first-person games like *Myst*, but more frequent in strategy games such as *Dune 2000*, *Emperor: Battle for Dune*, and the *Command & Conquer* series. In these, the only hint of a character (rather than an omnipresent status) comes from cutscenes where the player receives mission briefings, often addressed as "general," "commander," or another military rank. In gaming culture, such a character was called an Ageless, Faceless, Gender-Neutral, Culturally Ambiguous Adventure Person (AFGNCAAP), a term originating satirically in earlier Zork games or documentation.

Character action games (also called character-driven games or simply action games) are a broad category driven by the physical actions of player characters.