Digital board games have long since become mainstream: successful titles such as Calico or Dune: Imperium, for example, can also be experienced as video games. There are also tabletop titles. The publisher Dreamhaven now wants to bring a new title, Sunderfolk, onto the market primarily as a gateway game.
The idea of adapting a tabletop board game as a computer game is not entirely new. Moonbreaker by Unknown Worlds Entertainment and Krafton is already a concept that, although it is a purely digital format, is closer to a board game than a computer game. You can even paint your miniatures in Moonbreaker. With Next year, developers from Secret Door and publisher Dreamhaven will release a new digital board game called Sunderfolk from the tabletop genre. The couch co-opRPG does one thing in particular differently from the competition: smartphones serve as controllers, but the game is played on the screen.
Behind Dreamhaven, a gaming company founded only in 2020, is a well-known figure in the industry: Mike Morhaime, co-founder and former boss of Blizzard Entertainment.
Game night in a new form: everyone is typing on their mobile phones
Sunderfolk's approach is certainly bold, after all, a cozy evening of board games doesn't necessarily mean that people meet in one place to type together on their smartphones. But that's exactly what will happen with the new digital tabletop game, at least if you use the couch co-op variant. There are other ways.
Sunderfolk offers up to four players an enchanting shared-screen gaming experience that rewards thoughtful teamwork and, like the best board games, encourages creativity and team spirit. Using their smartphone or tablet as a controller, players face fearsome monsters, manage their inventory of card-based items and abilities, and interact with merchants and other characters who live in the Sunderlands. With no complicated setup, rules, or materials, Sunderfolk offers a streamlined alternative to the traditional tabletop gaming experience, making playing and having fun together more accessible than ever.
"We have a lot of avid board and tabletop fans on the Secret Door team - getting together for a game night has been a regular highlight for many of us for years," says Chris Sigaty, Secret Door's studio head. "As developers, we also like to look at what inspires us and think about how we can make such experiences more accessible so more people can enjoy them as much as we do. With Sunderfolk, we're excited to be able to offer a game that's easy to learn and play, but still challenging, and we can't wait to share it with the world."
The game is even being touted as a "rediscovery of the game tape." Dreamhaven says the best adventures are shared. Up to four people can play Sunderfolk either in person or virtually, with each player's phone or tablet serving as a seamless interface for managing characters and controlling the action on the TV or local/streamed screen - a new twist on the classic game night.
Sunderfolk is also based on campaign board games and, according to its creators, relies on an evolving story that takes a group of intrepid adventurers on a journey through the Sunderlands - starting in Arden, their idyllic home village that they must save. On their way through the mines, wilderness and labyrinths of the living game world, players meet colorful characters, discover hidden secrets and develop new team strategies.
"The Secret Door team, and indeed everyone at Dreamhaven, is committed to bringing players together to have fun," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Dreamhaven. "Sunderfolk is a beautiful game full of personality and charm, and it creates epic moments where everyone interacts directly with one another to strategize or celebrate victories. There's nothing like it, and we're very excited to see what players think."
Players take on the role of one of six unique heroes (Arcanist, Bard, Berserker, Pyromancer, Ranger, Rogue), each with their own strategic role and passive abilities. Heroes can be customized and individualized with weapons, armor, items, and skills as they level up, creating a powerful and well-equipped party ready for the challenges ahead. In battle, players must strategize positioning and turn order, choosing from their deck of ability cards to perform moves, attacks, and use items. Luck also plays a role, as fate cards are played each turn that can affect effectiveness. By completing missions, players gain experience and rewards, gradually unlocking ways to customize their decks. The key to victory is understanding the heroes' strengths and developing a strategy based on the battlefield and monsters in play.
The game will be released in 2025 on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch A gameplay trailer shows what will happen in Sunderfolk – and it looks quite interesting.
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