The term “LARPing,” originally referring to live-action role-playing games, has evolved in recent years into a colloquial expression used primarily by younger generations to call out perceived inauthenticity or pretense online. While once describing communities that role-play characters in immersive settings such as parks or conventions, the acronym LARP—short for live-action role play—has taken on a pejorative meaning on platforms like TikTok, where it is used to accuse individuals of faking expertise, status, or identity.
Kaia Wynne, 21, a cosplay enthusiast who has shared her anime-inspired costumes online, has encountered the label frequently. Some users have questioned her “anime credentials” by accusing her of LARPing, implying that her engagement with the fandom is insincere or superficial. Similarly, 19-year-old Macy Grisonichi described posting a video in which she pretended to be attending the University of Texas, although she actually studies elsewhere, illustrating how the term can be used playfully as well as critically.
According to experts, the shift in meaning marks a departure from the historical connotations of “poser,” an earlier insult used to challenge someone’s authenticity. Steven Dashiell, an assistant research professor at Morgan State University, explained that whereas being called a poser invites debate over identity, LARPing functions more as a definitive judgment, suggesting the person’s claim is false and unchallengeable. This usage aggressively polices perceived boundaries of knowledge or belonging within various cultural or social spheres.
The prevalence of LARPing accusations extends beyond fandoms to behaviors such as feigning wealth, adopting ephemeral trends, or projecting lifestyles online that do not reflect one’s reality. For example, some might post images suggesting luxury or success not owned or earned by them. This phenomenon occurs in an environment shaped by social media influencers, artificial intelligence-generated content, and algorithms that complicate discerning authentic behavior.
Scholars familiar with traditional live-action role-playing note this contemporary usage contrasts sharply with the original community’s intent. Sarah Lynne Bowman, associate professor of game design at Uppsala University, highlighted that early role-playing subcultures often faced stigma partly due to fears about confusing fantasy and reality but were focused on immersive, collaborative storytelling. In contrast, online LARPing is about calling out performance without immersion.
Dashiell also pointed out that in the late 2010s, LARP became a term within political discourse to describe individuals exaggerating extremist views for effect. More recently, it has broadened to encompass any performative or inauthentic presentation of self in digital and social spaces.
Despite its critical tone, the term has also gained a positive or aspirational dimension. On TikTok, many use “LARP” to describe “faking it until you make it” — consciously adopting behaviors or appearances associated with a desired future state. Anna Andriambeloson, 24, from Montreal, shared a video portraying herself and a friend “larping” as employees at a company during a job search, using the tactic as a form of networking and confidence-building. In at least one case, this approach reportedly led to a job referral.
As the concept of authenticity continues to evolve in an increasingly digital culture, LARPing serves as both a critique and a strategy, reflecting generational perspectives on identity, performance, and social belonging.