Funcom has officially announced The Secret World, a new MMORPG for the PC and Xbox 360 that takes place in our times. The game is inspired by history and mythology, modern conspiracy theories and ancient mysteries, creating a world within our world where magic exists, monsters roam and ancient forces fight for dominance of the planet.

“We started envisioning this contemporary online world more than ten years ago, and as the years passed the ideas grew and improved,” said Ragnar Tørnquist, Producer and Director on ‘The Secret World’. “We always wanted a different kind of online world, something scary and contemporary, something deeper and closer to our reality. Our goal now is to create a detailed world where players feel empowered and part of something big, something mystical and epic.”

“We believe there are millions of gamers out there who want to explore something beyond traditional fantasy and sci-fi games,” said Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom. “‘The Secret World’ is just that – a fantastic new setting that will fuel the imagination of online gamers, and keep players busy for years. We have a golden opportunity to bring something fresh and exciting to the genre, and we firmly believe the game is an ideal extension of Funcom’s MMO portfolio.”

In development since last summer, the game is now in a playable state. It is being produced by Funcom studios in Oslo and Beijing; no release date has been mentioned yet. Interested players are encouraged to check out the Dark Days Are Coming website, as well as the Dark Demons Cry Gaia forums.