Funcom have today announced their next MMO, this time The Secret World takes place in modern setting and is apparently inspired by 'history and mythology, modern conspiracy theories and ancient mysteries'.

For there really is a world within ours, a secret world, where magic exists, monsters roam and ancient forces are fighting for the dominance of earth. It is a world of legendary stories, ageless conflicts and powerful cabals. In this world, even modern cities hide secrets. In this world, players can take part in the greatest conspiracies of our age, and battle the forces of darkness across the world and throughout time.

"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."

Here's a first batch of The Secret World artwork to whet your appetite.