'Halo Reach' video game coming out

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The video game "Halo Reach" will be the last one produced by the company that developed the "Halo" series, a company official says.

That doesn't mean no more versions of "Halo" will be released, but developer Bungie studios won't be involved, Marcus Lehto, the company's creative director, told the Los Angeles Times.

"Halo" has already generated $2 billion in revenues, and while Bungie won't be involved in further releases Microsoft will keep the product moving through a new business unit called 343 Industries, the newspaper said.

"Halo Reach," goes on sale Sept. 14. Lehto said Bungie's challenge was to create a fitting conclusion to the Halo series without bringing it to an end.

"Halo Reach is our way of taking the story full circle, and describing the genesis of the events and actions that we have shown before," Lehto said.

Science fiction novels such as Larry Niven's "Ringworld" and movies like "Starship Troopers" inspired the "Halo" series, Lehto said. The first three games take place in the 26th century, and depict humanity's fight to save itself from being overtaken by aliens.

Bungie, based in Bellevue, Wash., is developing a new game it will own and control, Lehto said.