Almost as if to reinforce our point earlier today that the company is by no means abandoning Sony or the PlayStation 3, Namco Bandai has just officially confirmed that it is indeed developing Time Crisis 4 exclusively for the PS3.

Of course, we already knew that the game was in development, but it's always nice to have confirmation that a North American release is planned. Along with the game, the company is also releasing a newly-designed Guncon (pictured, sadly only Japan gets the swanky black version, because guns don't kill people there apparently), which is rumored to work exactly like a Wii Remote, complete with sensors on top of the TV and everything.

You'll find what we do know about the game in the press release below:

Santa Clara, Calif., June 15, 2007 – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced today that Time Crisis^®4, the franchise made popular by its arcade-style gameplay accessory, the Guncon^®, is being developed exclusively for the PLAYSTATION^®3 computer entertainment system. The newest installment in the popular action-shooter series propels the hit franchise into the next generation, with an in-depth First Person Shooter mode, stunning High-Definition graphics and a newly designed Guncon to complete the total Time Crisis experience.

“The Time Crisis franchise is known for delivering an immersive experience that completely captivates gamers.“ Makoto Iwai, Senior Vice President and COO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., said, “With Time Crisis 4 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system, we have enhanced the experience by redesigning the Guncon, and evolved the series to address what gamers have come to expect from the shooter genre – FPS gameplay. We are confident that the gameplay in Time Crisis 4, as well as a variety of enhancements made for the PLAYSTATION 3 system, will draw players into the Time Crisis universe like never before.”

Time Crisis 4 continues the series’ tradition of delivering intense and exciting action-packed gameplay. Players are given the task of preventing a top secret weapon from falling into the hands of international terrorists. With 4 modes of gameplay delivered in true HD, players will have a vast gaming experience to enjoy.

Featuring a new dual analog stick design, the next-gen Guncon^® 3 is capable of delivering entertainment to any home theater setup, supporting both High Definition (HD) displays and Standard Definition (SD) displays.

With the redesign of the Guncon the power of the PLAYSTATION 3 system has been maximized to deliver a high-spec Arcade mode in addition to an all new FPS mode.

New to the Time Crisis franchise, the FPS mode allows players to move freely through stages. In addition to basic game controls such as switching weapons, changing camera angles and character movement, a full feature set of gameplay actions including crouching, jumping, sniping provide a completely immersive FPS gameplay experience. A vast assortment of upgradeable weapons, unlockable bonus weapons and the ability to capture enemy machine guns mounts, make Time Crisis 4 the most in-depth and expansive Time Crisis title yet.

For more information about Time Crisis 4 and other NAMCO BANDAI products please visit: http://namcobandaigames.com/games/