Former Blizzard boss’ new studio reveals debut tabletop-inspired game Sunderfolk

Sunderfolk is the debut sport from Dreamhaven, the sport firm based by former Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime.

Morhaime introduced the brand new firm in 2020, which features a roster of different ex-Blizzard employees and consists of two distinct studios: Moonshot and Secret Door.

Sunderfolk is from the latter: a tactical sport impressed by tabletop RPGs, managed along with your cellphone. Try gameplay beneath.

Gamers will journey throughout the Sunderlands, exploring numerous lands, battling monsters, and assembly characterful animal inhabitants. It is all meant to parallel a standard tabletop sport, however made extra accessible.

That is by means of the usage of a cellphone or pill as a controller, used for every thing from stock administration to fight. It is sofa co-op, replicating conventional sport nights.

Fight itself can be turn-based, with gamers deciding on from a deck of talent playing cards with which to assault. Destiny Playing cards performed every flip will affect effectiveness, including a component of luck. Gamers should customise their deck and coordinate with others to make sure victory.

“The crew at Secret Door, and actually all of us at Dreamhaven, are all about bringing gamers collectively round enjoyable experiences,” stated Morhaime. “Sunderfolk is a lovely sport, it is stuffed with character and appeal, and it additionally creates epic moments the place everyone seems to be partaking instantly with one another to work out methods or have fun victories. There’s nothing fairly prefer it, and we’re actually trying ahead to seeing what gamers assume.”

Secret Door studio head Chris Sigaty (who beforehand labored on Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Starcraft 2 at Blizzard) spoke of the tabletop inspiration.

“We now have a bunch of devoted board and tabletop sport fanatics on the crew at Secret Door – getting collectively for sport night time has been a daily spotlight for many people going again years and years,” he stated. “As builders we additionally like to take a look at what conjures up us and take into consideration find out how to make these forms of experiences simpler to get into, in order that extra folks can get pleasure from them as a lot as we do. With Sunderfolk, we’re excited to supply gamers a sport that is straightforward to choose up and play, whereas nonetheless difficult to grasp, and we will not wait to share it with the world.”

In addition to the gameplay trailer above, Secret Door has shared a reveal trailer that particulars extra on its growth.

Sunderfolk can be launched throughout Steam, PS5, Xbox Collection X/S, and Swap in 2025.

For extra on Blizzard’s previous, try Eurogamer’s interview with journalist Jason Schreier, whose new ebook Play Good on the historical past of the corporate is out now.