I asked ex-Warcraft devs about Sunderfolk, a phone-run D&D RPG — their pitch surprised me

Why This Caught My Eye

We just hosted a Discord AMA with Secret Door, the studio behind Sunderfolk, and here’s the part that actually matters for your game nights: this is a D&D-flavored, turn-based RPG you control from your phone, built by the ex-Warcraft 3, StarCraft 2, and Heroes of the Storm crew who wanted to ditch esports sweat for social chaos. Narrated by Anjali Bhimani (Symmetra in Overwatch, Rampart in Apex), Sunderfolk aims to be “D&D plus Jackbox” – the rules handled for you, the laughs handled by your friends, and the strategy deeper than you expect. It’s also discounted on Steam right now for its 1.5 update, which makes it an easy impulse try.

Key Takeaways

• Phone-as-controller lowers the barrier: no rulebook onboarding, tap and drag like a trackpad, and Fate Cards add roguelike texture to each turn.
• Blizzard DNA without the esports grind: hero synergies and encounter clarity in a co-op package focused on overcoming challenges, not stomping opponents.
• Anjali Bhimani’s comedic narration gives it “boardgame night” energy, but there’s still real depth for min-maxers who want to theorycraft.
• Big swing, minor risks: phone UX and network friction could trip players up – but the 1.5 update discount is a good moment to see if it clicks for your group.

Breaking Down the “D&D + Jackbox” Pitch

Sunderfolk’s hook isn’t just the phone controls – it’s the social design. Technical director Alan Dabiri told us, “We just love getting together and having that social experience of playing boardgames… so we think that we can make things more accessible and streamline the experience by making the game handle all of the rules and setup.” That’s the smart play: let the computer shoulder the bookkeeping, let the players focus on timing a clutch move or goofing through a bad roll like a real table night.

The moment that clicked for me was hearing how they want to convert the tabletop-curious who bounce off thick manuals. Studio head Chris Sigaty said they’re building a tool for people to bring in family or friends who’d normally balk at D&D. If you’ve ever tried to teach Gloomhaven or Dune: Imperium at 9pm on a Friday, you know that friction. Here, you pick your movement and abilities on your phone, draw from a Fate Card deck, and the big screen resolves the chaos — like a streamlined DM quietly doing the math so the jokes (and the tactics) can land.

Blizzard DNA, Without the Esports Grind

Both Sigaty and Dabiri are steeped in Blizzard’s classics. Warcraft 3’s hero-driven battles, StarCraft 2’s razor-sharp clarity, and Heroes of the Storm’s team synergy are all in the studio’s bloodstream. But they were clear about what they didn’t want to copy: the all-or-nothing competitive focus. “We wanted to try something a little bit different and not go so heavy into that competitive space,” Dabiri said. That pivot matters. Instead of optimizing APM, you’re coordinating abilities and synergies to beat handcrafted encounters with friends.

You feel that heritage in the design priorities: readable abilities, heroes that combo cleanly, and encounters that push coordination instead of single-player carry potential. The tone, meanwhile, is intentionally lighter. Anjali Bhimani’s narration plays more like a host at a chaotic boardgame night than a solemn epic chronicler. If you bounced off BG3’s (excellent) dramatic weight and just want a breezy tactics hangout, Sunderfolk is speaking your language.

The Phone-as-Controller Bet

This is where Sunderfolk stands alone. “You’re literally dragging around on your phone as a track pad,” Dabiri said — and that whole interaction model basically didn’t exist for a tactics RPG. It’s a bold bet, and it solves a real problem: everyone has a phone, so you can get a group playing with minimal setup. No extra controllers, no arguing about bindings, no passing a keyboard.

I love the idea, but I’ve got questions that only long sessions will answer. Will phone fragmentation and Wi-Fi hiccups lead to input lag at the worst moments? Is dragging a virtual cursor precise enough for tight positioning? The team’s boardgame-first mentality suggests they’re designing around those pitfalls with clear feedback and forgiving UX, but it’s the one area I’m watching closely. If they nail it, Sunderfolk could unlock a new lane for living-room RPGs. If it’s finicky, it risks being a great idea trapped behind a tricky interface.

What Gamers Need to Know Right Now

First, the vibe. Anjali Bhimani brings big personality, and that matters. A charismatic narrator keeps newcomers engaged while veterans chase synergies and min-max builds under the hood. Second, the structure: this isn’t a 100-hour open-world epic. It’s built for sessions that feel like an actual game night — jump in, make a plan, improvise when it all goes sideways, laugh about it after.

Finally, timing. Sunderfolk is currently 40% off on Steam to celebrate its 1.5 update, which makes it a low-risk buy-in for groups curious about the “D&D plus Jackbox” promise. If you’re the friend who organizes game nights, this could be your new go-to when a rules-heavy TTRPG feels like too much homework. And if you live for deep builds, the Fate Card deck and class synergies look ready to reward tinkering without scaring off your less grind-minded friends.

TL;DR

Sunderfolk takes Blizzard-honed clarity, mixes it with tabletop social energy, and serves it through your phone for a co-op tactics night that’s equal parts silly and smart. I’m cautiously optimistic about the phone controls — and genuinely excited that someone is finally tackling RPG nights with approachability first.