EA signs Funcom's Secret World MMO

By Robert Purchese Published 10 January, 2011

Eurogamer presses dev on specifics.

Funcom's next big MMO after Age of Conan, dubbed The Secret World, will be published by EA Partners.

The deal was announced this morning. But with it came no confirmation of a release date nor beta timings.

Funcom explained to Eurogamer that a release date hadn't been announced yet, and politely refused to be drawn on whether The Secret World will arrive this year.

"The development is going very well," the spokesperson elaborated, "and we're looking forward to press hands-on. No beta date."

On the subject of an Xbox 360 version, Funcom added: "Currently we're focusing on the PC version, but we're leaving our options open, of course."

The Secret World adopts a Harry Potter-like premise: a modern-day city contains a secret, magical underbelly. Funcom's take, however, has less pre-pubescent wizardry.

The Secret World has opted to drop familiar MMO features such as classes and levels from its template - preferring instead that players have "unbound" freedom grow their heroes. And those heroes belong to one of three factions each with their own outlook and associated qualities.

Oli Welsh took a much closer look at The Secret World for Eurogamer last year.

The Secret World.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (8) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • actionfitz #1 1 year ago

    I have allot of goodwill for this game, primarily due to the main guy behind it - Ragnar Tornquist - being responsible for some of my favourite games: The Longest Journey / Dreamfall etc.
    I really hope that they have since purged from FunCom the people behind the planning and (miss)management of 'Age of Conan' though.
    They now have Craig Morrison trying to salvage what he can, and build upon the disaster that was the AoC launch - funny enough he had to do the same thing with Anarchy Online.

    I'm wishing them the best, I really want a reason to regain faith in FunCom.

  • tomjoadsghost #2 1 year ago

    Good, the game looks interesting and if i was in any MMO minded I'd be all over it.
    See, i said something positive without whining about dreamfall chapters.

  • curtlikesmeat #3 1 year ago

    Never actually seen Ragnar before - he's younger than I thought I was expecting some Miyamoto type character. Loving the setting still, I guess we'll see. Still sounds like they're dressing up the same old stuff in new clothes but hopefully not.

    Funcom: TEH NEW STATE SYSTEM, PUT THINGS IN A STATE SO YOU CAN INTERACT IN DIFFERENT WAYS!!1111

    Me: You mean a debuff?

    Funcom: SILENCE! WE MUST ALL CALL IT THE STATE SYSTEM FOR THE GREATER GOOD! THE GREATER GOOOOOOOD.

  • ZuluHero #4 1 year ago

    It's not really a debuff - its changing something to allow the user to see it differently and/or interact with it in different ways...i.e flicking through its various "states".

    State System seems like a perfectly apt name.
    Edited by ZuluHero at 10/01/11 @ 10:57

  • Kami #5 1 year ago

    Either way you look at it, this is a curiously interesting project... am very intrigued...

  • AOFanboi #6 1 year ago

    I guess the "XBox 360 option" is going to remain as optional as the fabled 360 port of Age of Conan...

    This is more interesting that AoC though, if they just could keep their mouths shut in their "overpromising" reflexes. Underwater cities in Anarchy Online? Not that I saw...

  • Moarachanox #7 1 year ago

    i hope its a crap game...nothing get lost by thad way:)

  • levitate #8 1 year ago

    With the shenanigans they pulled with Age of Conan I'm inclined to think it'd take them a miracle to get anywhere with this game. Good luck though.