The Secret World beta crosses 500,000 registrants

Star Wars: The Old Republic may be Electronic Arts' massively multiplayer online game launch with the most attention at the moment, but it is not the publisher's only upcoming release in the genre that is generating interest. Funcom announced today that The Secret World has surpassed 500,000 registered users in the beta period, a number the developer says outpaces its previous MMOG, Age of Conan, during the same stage of development.

Even though it is nowhere near World of Warcraft's 10-plus million subscriber number, 500,000 is a significant number in its own right. Speaking about the aforementioned Star Wars: The Old Republic, EA's most expensive single project ever, CEO John Riccitiello said half a million subscribers would be enough to make the game "substantially profitable".

Announced for the Xbox 360 and PC in 2007, The Secret World posits an alternate universe in which a modern-day world has been torn asunder by the reemergence of magic and other occult activity. Players will join one of three occult factions and battle one another for control of strategic locations throughout the world, including Egypt, New York, and Seoul.

The Secret World is set for an April 2012 release with an open beta coming soon. For more on The Secret World, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.