VTer
VTer, short for Virtual YouTuber, designates a content creator or performer who presents themselves through a digitally animated avatar rather than a traditional live or filmed persona. A VTer's avatar may be 2D or 3D and is typically controlled in real time using facial-tracking or motion-capture software, sometimes with voice acting and character lore to enhance engagement. VTers create a wide range of content, including gameplay streams, chat and talk shows, music performances, and collaborative crossovers with other VTubers.
Production usually involves character design, animation assets, and streaming software such as OBS, with tools like
Originating in Japan in the mid-2010s, the VTuber phenomenon grew rapidly, with early pioneers like Kizuna AI;
VTubing raises considerations around intellectual property, online safety, and platform policies, but remains a popular form