The Truth Behind Nubbin

In the age of deepfakes, AI-generated celebrities, and tech so advanced it borders on sci-fi, it’s getting harder to tell what’s real—and what’s a well-crafted illusion. The latest internet frenzy? A brain chip called Nubbin that claims to let users curate memories, revisit dreams, and escape into virtual consciousness. Sounds like something ripped straight from an episode of Black Mirror, right?

Well, you’re not wrong.

What Is Nubbin?

According to its creators—TCKR Systems—the Nubbin is a sleek brain chip implanted at your temple that lets you press a button and instantly dive into an altered state of reality. Think lucid dreams, memory replays, and virtual worlds that feel more vivid than real life.

On social media, especially TikTok, the phenomenon exploded. Influencers like Rylan Clark, gaming creator Cadaea, and even the official Currys account have joined the trend. In the videos, people tap their Nubbin, their eyes roll white, and they seem to slip into an immersive alternate reality. The visuals are eerie, the concept chilling—and it’s gone viral fast.

As one TikTok comment put it:

“Why their eyes turn white? This is not technology. This is possession and black magic.”

Others joked:

“I need this so I can mentally go to another country.”

But here’s the twist: Nubbin isn’t real.

The Elaborate Illusion

Despite its hyper-realistic marketing and online buzz, Nubbin is not a cutting-edge piece of neurotech, nor is it about to invade your dreams. It’s actually part of a genius PR campaign by Netflix to promote Season 7 of Black Mirror.

Yep—TCKR Systems is fictional. If you're a fan of the show, the name might ring a bell. TCKR first appeared in the fan-favorite Black Mirror episode "San Junipero" as the tech company enabling users to upload their consciousness into a simulated afterlife. It’s also been featured in other episodes like Black Museum and Playtest, where tech and horror blend into nightmare fuel.

Now, for the show’s newest season, Netflix has revived TCKR as part of a guerrilla marketing campaign to make fans believe the future is already here—and that it’s terrifying.

The Viral Genius of the Nubbin Campaign

This wasn’t just a few tweets and teaser trailers. The Nubbin campaign is a full-on immersive stunt:

Professionally shot influencer ads

Billboards in major cities

A TikTok account with over 17,000 followers

A real-looking TCKR Systems website boasting slogans like “The perfect reality? It’s all in your head.”

Everything was designed to blur the line between fiction and reality—just like Black Mirror itself. It preyed on our growing anxieties about AI, virtual reality, surveillance, and identity, then flipped the script with a perfectly timed reveal: “Relax. It’s only TV.”

But if the internet’s reaction tells us anything, it’s this: people believed it. And that’s exactly what makes the campaign so powerful.

Why It Struck a Nerve

Let’s be honest—when you first saw the Nubbin, didn’t it feel plausible? In an age where Neuralink is testing brain-computer interfaces, AI can replicate your voice, and VR can trick your senses, the idea of a “memory-curating chip” doesn’t seem too far-fetched.

That’s what makes the Black Mirror marketing so effective: it holds a mirror (pun intended) to our current trajectory and asks, what if we’ve already gone too far?

Nubbin was never real, but the fear it awakened definitely is.

Final Thoughts

So, while you can put your tinfoil hats away (for now), Nubbin leaves us with a deeper question: What happens when fiction gets a little too close to our future?

With Black Mirror Season 7 now streaming (as of April 10), you can see the fictional Nubbin tech—and more disturbingly real ones—play out on screen. And remember: just because it’s not real today, doesn’t mean it won’t be tomorrow.