Here's a bit of bad news, for those of us who want to play Time Crisis 4 on the Sony PlayStation 3 the way it's meant to be played (i.e. with 2 players) - it's impossible to purchase a GunCon 3 on its own, which means you'll have to buy another Time Crisis 4 bundle in order to truly experience some next-gen lightgun shooting. Boo!

This info comes from a representative in Namco Bandai's Live Support Chat Supercenter Headquarters. Apparently, a player was asking where a second GunCon 3 controller could be purchased for some multiplayer Time Crisis 4 joy. The representative answered that the GunCon 3 is not sold separately, and could only be purchased as a bundle with Time Crisis 4.

The enterprising player then asked if Namco Bandai sold replacement gun controllers instead, in case someone accidentally "breaks" his or her GunCon 3. The response? Namco Bandai doesn't sell replacement GunCon 3s, but they will repair or replace your GunCon 3 if it's defective. Huh.

Well, that's it, then. If Time Crisis 4 players want to enjoy the game as it's meant to be enjoyed - that is, two players with a GunCon 3 each - then you'll have to buy another copy of the game to do so. A bit disconcerting, but hopefully we'll be able to see some third-party GunCons stepping up to fulfill this need.