The upcoming Sunderfolk will soon take the digitization of tabletop gaming in a whole new direction. Dreamhaven’s fantasy tactical RPG will take advantage of mobile devices as controllers for remote and couch co-op, making Sunderfolk a big step toward combining video games with TTRPGs.
Though Sunderfolk won’t be a true virtual tabletop game but rather a video game heavily based on TTRPG mechanics, conventions, and culture, the unique means by which it mimics the TTRPG experience in a video game is promising. Game Rant sat down with the Sunderfolk team, including studio head Chris Sigaty, who spoke on the challenges surrounding the translation of TTRPG gameplay into asymmetric phone/controller co-op play.
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Sunderfolk’s Phone Controllers Bring A New Twist To Virtual Tabletop Gaming
Replicating Tabletop With Phone Controllers
Whereas the popular CRPG genre has focused on transposing TTRPG mechanics into a video game, Sunderfolk places greater emphasis on the culture of TTRPGs. The game emphasizes couch co-op play and the interaction of players in real-time. It also emphasizes players using their phones as controllers, similar to how TTRPG players use their character sheets. Sigaty spoke about why this system was chosen and how it will manifest in-game:
“The benefits of the phone controller are significant because it allows players to have information hidden from their party—an extremely common element of both TTRPGs and board games. For example, in most TTRPGs, players have a character sheet in front of them with their specific stats, equipment, backgrounds, etc. Game masters sometimes hand out notes or take individual players aside to tell them information only their characters might know. The phone controller allows both things to be supported seamlessly in a way traditional controller interfaces do not.”
Sigaty added, “The phone controller combined with the turn-based gameplay means players can strategize about the game itself, while also connecting over their lives and passions.” All of these details serve to demonstrate how Sunderfolk will adapt TTRPG conventions. Couch co-op is increasingly falling out of vogue, but the human connection of TTRPGs with how each player receives a truly personalized and cooperative experience is key to their appeal. The focus on both is key to Sunderfolk‘s success. Moreover, the asymmetric approach with phone controllers cuts out some couch co-op limitations, such as split-screen.
Making The TTRPG Experience Accessible
Though the TTRPGs that inspired Sunderfolk hold an analog experience that no video game could replicate, the character sheet-lite use of phone controllers and Anjali Bhimani’s narration serving as a pseudo DM could go a long way to bridge the gap. Closing that gap further, of course, is the cooperative experience among friends and family. There’s not quite like being at the table playing a tabletop game, but Sigaty spoke about an experience he had with someone who’d played the closed beta:
“What we’ve found is once people give the phone controller a chance, they understand just how powerful it can be. One of my favorite comments from our recent Closed Beta was someone commenting on the fact that they were playing Sunderfolk as a family, and for the first time in recent history, they were seeing the phone used in a positive way for social, in-person interaction. Those are exactly the sorts of moments we’re trying to create, and the phone controller really helps enable that.”
The tech behind Sunderfolk may take some getting used to, but if players can be properly onboarded, it could serve as a way to get people interested in the ‘vibe’ of TTRPGs like no other title. Cooperative tabletop experiences are one of a kind, but the replication here in Sunderfolk is truly unique. The combination could allow tabletop novices to enjoy a similar experience without taking on the mental load of learning a book full of rules or relying upon a DM.
Sunderfolk
- Released
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April 23, 2025
- ESRB
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E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
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Secret Door
- Multiplayer
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Local Co-Op
- Number of Players
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1-4
- PC Release Date
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April 23, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
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April 23, 2025
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