The PlayStation 3 launched on November 17, 2006, and the 60GB models were sold for the scandalous price of $600. Sony had set expectations so high that a backlash was almost inevitable. Now you can get a newly redesigned PlayStation 3 for $300, half the launch price of the premiere console, but along the way features have been lost. Ports have been removed. Logos have changed.

What a difference a few years makes. The 60GB consoles have been discontinued and there is no longer any way to play PlayStation 2 games on PlayStation 3 hardware. Even though the price has been halved, there is a small but vocal group of gamers who jealously hoard their 60GB model, and wouldn't trade it in for the new and "improved" system if their lives depended on it. I should know, I'm one of them.

Why people love the old

The 60GB PlayStation can play PlayStation One and PlayStation 2 games, but it doesn't just play them, it upscales the image to look better on your shiny high definition screen. Sony's John Koller told us that backwards compatibility doesn't drive sales, and he's probably right; for every gamer madly in love with their 60GB system there was one who didn't care about the features it included or were ready to trade into a 120GB model. Those that do stick with their launch hardware, however, are adamant about their love for the system.

"I have a 60GB after much searching long after they had been discontinued. Finally found a used one, and I wouldn't give it up for anything. I constantly replay old PS2 games, and the lack of BC is an absolute dealbreaker," forum user Heinous told Ars. "Leaving a PS2 hooked up would be a kludge, and I don't have space in the A/V rack anyways. I'll be hanging on to this one as long as it works or until some theoretical PS4 plays PS2 games."

We spoke to one 60GB enthusiast via Twitter, and asked what would happen if his system broke down. "It would kill me! My PS2 died and I dont want to replace it. I have lots of PS2 games that I still play or want to play. I need BC!"

"I'd pay to have it repaired," Benjamin Forrest told us, another PS3 fan who is holding onto his 60GB model. "And yes, it is my precious. I still play a bunch of PS2 2D fighters along with new stuff." He counts off the games he still enjoys after pointing out how great they look in 720p. "Okami, King of Fighters XI, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Odin Sphere, to name a few."

Can you still find one?

You can still track down a 60GB system if you don't mind buying used, but it may take some digging. We caught up with Nick, who runs the popular rare and classic game site Racketboy, and asked what he knew about the secondhand market for the 60GB PlayStation 3.

"Actually, I've had my eye on this a bit as I've been looking into getting one," he told us. "I don't know if I'd say there is high demand for them, but you can tell there is still a bit of interest out there." He points out the number of people with working PS2s means that backwards compatibility won't be a huge issue for most people. "However, being an individual that keeps lots of older consoles hooked up to their entertainment systems, if I can have one less machine hooked up, that would be nice."

We pointed out that the systems are going for up to $600, the original price, and more on Amazon. "Well, I wouldn't go by Amazon too much—there are a lot of sellers that list stuff for outrageous prices at times. At least on eBay you can see what they are actually selling for." So what are they selling for? "It looks like the 60GB are going for about $250 to $270. Closer to retail, but nothing dramatic yet." You can look at that number two ways: the $600 systems have dropped in value dramatically, or that people are willing to pay nearly the going retail price for a three year-old system.

How much does GameStop sell them for? More than a new system, in fact. Refurbished 60GB models run $320 at the gaming retailer. "You may be asking yourself, 'Self, why in the world is a refurbished 60GB PS3 more expensive than a brand new 80 GB PS3?'" GameStop says on the official site. "The 60 GB PS3 happens to be backwards compatible, allowing you to play many PS2 games on it. Plus it has two additional USB ports and a spiffy chrome front. As a result, not many people are willing to give them up, making them harder to find and thus, a little more expensive."

What happens if your system breaks?

You're not going to be in warranty anymore, but Sony will fix your 60GB system for $150. Sure it's half the price of a new unit, but for those of us who are trying to cut down on the number of systems hooked into our TV, it's worth the money. I'm currently in the process of getting my 60GB repaired, after it finally began to die while playing Batman: Arkham Asylum. I thought the game was glitching, but turns out it was simply my system giving up the ghost.

But aren't you missing out on things?

Nope. Just like the PSP Go, the software updates mean that 60GB models will be able to do everything the new hardware does, minus the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreaming.

The 60GB PlayStation can do damn near everything: backwards compatibility with upscaling, it can run Linux—something the Slim can't do—it supports a smorgasbord of memory cards if you want to move files over, it has the Spider-Man logo on the top... and of course by 60GB we mean 250GB, since the hardcore out there have already upgraded their hard drives.

You can keep your silver logos, your lack of backwards compatibility, and your smaller systems. We'll be sitting over here with our silver trim, huge shell, and PS2 games.