Funcom Goes Casual

Game developer Funcom has announced that it has established SweetRobot, a subsidiary company that will focus on casual and social games.

Funcom, a Norwegian developer best known for MMORPGs Anarchy Online and Age of Conan, will continue to focus on the hardcore market while SweetRobot explores less traditional MMOs. SweetRobot's first project, Pets vs. Monsters, describes itself as a "free-to-play MMO Adventure". Pets vs. Monsters will target 8-12 year olds and promises to include some familiar RPG mechanics, exploring, and pet collecting.

Beta for Pets vs. Monsters is expected to open later this month. I skimmed over the site and it looks interesting. Might be worth keeping your eyes on if you're a kid looking for something new to play, or a parent with kids seeking an MMO.