Funcom CEO discusses the MMO market and the possibility of The Secret World going free-to-play.

Funcom CEO Ole Shereiner recently spoke up on the MMO market and its shift in focus from the traditional subscription model to free-to-play. In an interview with GamesIndustry International, the newly appointed CEO said that The Secret World MMO is "now a profitable operation," after the recent re-structuring of internal teams.

The Secret World is now a "profitable operation," says CEO Ole Shereiner.

When asked about the game's current subscription model, Shereiner revealed that Funcom has the tools to turn The Secret World into a free-to-play game or a hybrid.

"I believe there is a market for free-to-play, subscription and hybrid business models. What's most viable for your project depends on what sort of game you're trying to make," he said.

Shereiner said that despite efforts to keep options open during the game's development, decisions on The Secret World were eventually made based on the subscription model it was launched with.

"If we had designed The Secret World as a free-to-play offering, we would have made some different decisions along the way," Shereiner said.

The Secret World received mixed reviews after its July release. Former Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas stepped down from his position for a different role in the company on the eve of the game's launch.

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