Funcom announced today that it has established a new subsidiary named SweetRobot to publish its ventures into the social and casual MMO-gaming markets. SweetRobot's first project is the upcoming kid-friendly Pets vs. Monsters, a free-to-play game that's scheduled to launch in public beta later this month. A commercial release date has not yet been finalized.

Pets vs. Monsters is a casual adventure game for children ages 8-12 that allows players to explore different zones and collect various pets and skills. As the title suggests, the MMO will include some monster battles as well. You can view some screenshots in our gallery and a gameplay video after the jump.

Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas stated in a press release that Age of Conan and The Secret World will remain the company's primary focus, but they are excited to release their first attempt at an online game for a younger target audience.