Funcom is interested in getting into the casual MMO space, and as a result the company has announced today that they have established a new subsidiary called SweetRobot to do just that.

SweetRobot's first project, a free-to-play casual MMO dubbed "Pets vs. Monsters," has been in development for almost two years now and should be entering open beta later this month.

Pets vs. Monsters is targeted at the young demographic, namely 8-12 year old children.

You can find out more about Pets vs. Monsters, including a trio of screenshots, at the game's official website here.

We've also got the first trailer released for the game, which you can view here.

I find it pretty damn odd that Funcom is still going strong. Nevertheless, I wish them all the best and the game has intrigued me a bit, actually. 

Originally posted by SuperHans

I find it pretty damn odd that Funcom is still going strong. Nevertheless, I wish them all the best and the game has intrigued me a bit, actually. 

They made enough money with AO to stay afloat for a while.

That and Norway has tons of rich people willing to invest

ooooh the king is dead long live the king!

This is smart business acumen. Get them hooked as children to MMO's then offer them the adult versions like AoC and Anarchy Online later. They will catch many with name recognition of Funcom being the one they played on this game with. very smart.

I hope they make oodles of money from it so they can finish The Secret World. My second most anticipated MMO ( next to TOR).

One more piece of garbage from FAILCOM

Originally posted by eludajae

This is smart business acumen. Get them hooked as children to MMO's then offer them the adult versions like AoC and Anarchy Online later. They will catch many with name recognition of Funcom being the one they played on this game with. very smart.

"First ones free kid..."

Looks like their new strategy is "fling enough shit at the wall, long enough, you'll get a Picasso"

Wow, Funcom makes a f2p mmo for the kids and the funcom haters still come outta the woodwork.  *sigh*

At least this may quiet down the "funcom going out of business" garbage that the haters been trying to spread.

Seems like they just might have finally found were they can do well in the mmo industry........

Making overly simplistic games,for young indiscriminating children.Its a win almost all around.

*parents get a free baby sitting service

*the children get something simple that will keep them busy

*Funcom gets a  customer base  their  "skills" might be able to  actually satisfy.

@DrowNoble

Wow, Funcom makes another POS mmo and the Funcom fanboyz still come outta the woodwork to defend them.  *sigh*

*see what I did there?

 What? AoC is as casual as an MMORPG gets, they going even more casual? 

Ah well, as long as they dont ruin any other famous IPs I could not care less.

Originally posted by Longswd

@DrowNoble

Wow, Funcom makes another POS mmo and the Funcom fanboyz still come outta the woodwork to defend them.  *sigh*

 

*see what I did there?

 

Yes, you posted to the world you're a Funcom hater.  Thanks. :)

Seriously, no one here has played this MMO (or had their kids play it) but you called it a POS mmo?  That would be like me saying I have never played Runescape but its a crappy game regardless.  Funcom making this game shows they are not on the verge of collapse as people like to claim here.  It also shows they are trying to broaden their customer base, AoC for the older crowd and now a new mmo for the kids.  Why is that a bad thing?

Plus your implication that I'm a fanboyz is unbased in any truth.  I don't play AO, never had, probably never will as the premise doesn't interest me.  If i was a FC Fanboyz, surely I would be playing all things Funcom?  AoC is my only Funcom game, though maybe Secret World also when it comes out if I don't like TOR.

After two failures (and no, I'm not going to debate the definition of failure, it's accepted that AO and AoC were failures) no one but a fanboy would assume anything further from them would be anything different without demonstrable evidence to the contrary. I HAVE played both games, so in a conflict of opinion, I feel mine carries 50% more weight.

I certainly am a "hater". If by hater, you mean I dislike their practice of releasing half finished games and charging people for them, then yes, I own to it without reservation and would like to see them in a position where they cannot rip off anyone else in the future.

Originally posted by Longswd

After two failures (and no, I'm not going to debate the definition of failure, it's accepted that AO and AoC were failures) no one but a fanboy would assume anything further from them would be anything different without demonstrable evidence to the contrary. I HAVE played both games, so in a conflict of opinion, I feel mine carries 50% more weight.

I certainly am a "hater". If by hater, you mean I dislike their practice of releasing half finished games and charging people for them, then yes, I own to it without reservation and would like to see them in a position where they cannot rip off anyone else in the future.

 

 

If in your eyes a game that still has a stable player base after 7 years is a failure, most games out there are failures. Ao had on of the most horrible launches in mmo history but has done verry well in improving, keeping its player base and most important earning revenues...

Could you name one game company in the mmo sector that launched a game that was totaly flawless? Please verry eager to hear your example!

 Maybe Funcom is not good a launching MMO's but they are great in improving them and making them worth playing compared to other companies who might release a slightly more stable game but leave their boring product to rott....

/my 10 cent

If in your eyes a game that still has a stable player base after 7 years is a failure <snip>

I said I won't debate the definition of a failure and I won't. I also will not debate with people whether the sky is blue or pink. If you wish to count that as some sort of victory, knock yourself out.

Could you name one game company in the mmo sector that launched a game that was totaly flawless? Please verry eager to hear your example!

I never promulgated that for a game to be successful, it needed a flawless launch. Nice straw man argument attempt however.