Bungie: Halo: Reach "in development right since the end of Halo 3"

Halo: Reach has been in development since development ended on Halo 3.

That's what Bungie's Brian Jarrard told VG247 at GamesCom.

The community manager made the admission as he was talking to us about Halo 3: ODST and how life hasn't changed much since the studio became an independent studio again after breaking away from Microsoft Games Studios.

"Day to day life hasn’t changed that much. We’ve been super-busy, obviously. We’ve finally been able to announce Halo: Reach, which has been in development right since the end of Halo 3."

"Having a portion of our team working on ODST while Reach has been going full steam; we’ve been too busy right now to think about too much else. We’re just heads-down making great games. Right now that’s our focus."

Reach is set long before Halo: Combat Evolved and long before Master Chief was the only spartan left standing, although story specifics are little to zip right now.

The game is due out in fall 2010, but a multiplayer beta token will come with Halo 3: ODST when it launches on September 22.

Catch our interview with Jarrard and CJ Cowan of Bungie here.