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Class-action lawsuit against Microsoft for alleged Xbox One controller "stick drift" now includes the Elite Series 2

H . R . 2

Member
Eurogamer reports:


"Members of the general public have the right to know the latent defects with the Xbox controller components."

McFadden alleges that his Xbox Elite controller - which retails for $180/£160 - demonstrated "drift" within a "short time", as did his replacement controller "three or four months later". In some cases, it's alleged controller movements are even registered when the sticks are stationary and no-one is touching them.

"Microsoft lures consumers into purchasing the Xbox controllers by touting the Xbox controllers as superior controllers that enhance gameplay, describing the Elite controllers as the 'world's most advanced controller' and emphasising the Xbox One joysticks and buttons as possessing 'Ultimate Precision'," the lawsuit alleges.
 
That sux for Xbox users.

I experienced this stick drift shit on my Nacon Revolution Pro controller for my PS4 Pro. Got stick drift like 3 months after i bought it and I didn't even use it that often.

Took it back to the store and they wouldn't replace for a new one. Now i just have it sat here gathering dust. Won't ever buy Nacon again.
 
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CAB_Life

Member
Thank God. I’ve only had an X1X since December and both of my controllers have this problem (one bought for PC but now having the same issue, the other came with the console). It seems pretty widespread and inevitable and is linked to the clips that hold the joystick bays in place.

You can remove them and it fixes the problem, but also adds a bit of jitter to the sticks.
 

xrnzaaas

Gold Member
The elite controllers are such a clusterfuck. The first one had serious quality issues and they fucked up again with the second generation model. You'd think that Microsoft would pay extra attention to make the thing as flawless and durable as possible.

We also need Sony on this, afaik drifting issue started being a bigger problem with v2 PS4 controllers.
 

Evangelion Unit-01

Master Chief
My biggest gripes with the Elite Controller V2 are the rubber caps that cover the trigger adjustment selectors that fall off and the foam pads that soften the trigger release wear through leaving residual glue (regular Xbox One controller has same problem). It is a really nice controller but certainly not $180 nice.

Pretty much every console has been using the same analog stick component since the GameCube/PS2/Xbox gen. I've had stick drift on every system since then. Ironically both my Switch Pro controller and launch Joycons have been fine.

Its usually a result of a loose stick or a dirty/broken potentiometer-a fairly quick and inexpensive fix if you know what you are doing. I just had to clean the potentiometers on a PS4 controller last week.

On one hand controllers will always have a finite lifespan especially dependent on how much they are used. On the other hand perhaps there is an opportunity for someone to design a better analog stick.
 
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Zimmy68

Member
My Elite 2 had bad stick drift right after the painfully short 90 day warranty.
You can't even open up a chat with Microsoft about it anymore.
You have to fill out a form and they end up telling you, sucks for you, out of warranty.
My only option with them was to send it back, send another $100 and they would send me a refurb.
I had bought it with Google Shopping from Costco and was able to get a 100% refund, so Microsoft can pound salt.
I hope they get hit hard with this lawsuit.
It is one thing to keep using a cheap defective module in your $180 premium controller but quite another to not fix the issue, no questions asked if you get caught.
 
I hope you're joking. I've had 9 DS4s this gen. FPS and battle royale games will destroy your left analogue stick.

DS4's hold out beyond manufacturers warranty but yeah. DS4's do have it too. Although I heard the new ones were better than the originals.

It appears the problems here is that the issues manifest themselves within manufacturers warranty time, and way too often. In other words, into defect category.
 
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01011001

Banned
I have 2 dualshock 4s that have the exact same issue and I know of 2 additional ones friends have that also have the exact same problem

that problem is that on the left stick, there's basically a very specific direction that doesn't get detected.
if you move the left stick up and slightly to the right, the controller has hickups.

that's 4 controllers in my immediate vicinity that have this exact issue.

I also have a DS4 where the right stick drifts to the left.

I also have 2 Xbox One controllers with stick drift, one has a drift on the left stick and one on the right stick.

THIS IS NORMAL
how the fuck are people now filing lawsuit for this? and how is this even a thing...?
controllers wear down as you use them, that's why professionals switch controller regularly, and fighting game players switch fight sticks regularly/replace sticks

what am I missing here? how do these people think they have a case?
what, can products that get used on a daily basis and have moving parts that are directly moved by the user not have any wear now without the manufacturer having to be ready to get sued by some angry Karen that most likely had greesey dripping fat fingers from eating chips while playing Walking Sim #62527?

this is crazy to me... like... wtf?
 
My Elite 2 had bad stick drift right after the painfully short 90 day warranty.
You can't even open up a chat with Microsoft about it anymore.
You have to fill out a form and they end up telling you, sucks for you, out of warranty.
My only option with them was to send it back, send another $100 and they would send me a refurb.
I had bought it with Google Shopping from Costco and was able to get a 100% refund, so Microsoft can pound salt.
I hope they get hit hard with this lawsuit.
It is one thing to keep using a cheap defective module in your $180 premium controller but quite another to not fix the issue, no questions asked if you get caught.

Wow. I had to check the DS4's warranty just to see if it was a change both companies introduced stealthily but DS4 is one-year.

90 days warranty is massively suspect for such an expensive controller. Like, purposeful.
 
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Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
The Elite series 2 is, without a doubt, the worst controller I've ever owned. Genuinely shocking how bad the QC is on those. I haven't had the stick drift issue, but the "A button not responding" and "shoulder button responding twice" issues have both manifested. I'm sure there'd be more bullshit in store, but I threw it in a box some time ago and just used a different controller. Absolute trash.
 

THE DUCK

voted poster of the decade by bots
I've had about 10 xbox one controllers over the past few years. 1 has the drift, but the most common problem is the rb button failing, had 3 do this.

Still overall, generally a well built controller.
Good arguement to buy controllers from Costco or actually get an extended warranty, especially the elite.
 

bender

What time is it?
I had the worst luck with X360 controllers having this issue. I've been lucky with the XBox One I guess, though I don't play the console a ton and really only with the Elite controller.
 
Wow. I had to check the DS4's warranty just to see if it was a change both companies introduced stealthily but DS4 is one-year.

90 days warranty is massively suspect for such an expensive controller. Like, purposeful.
It's not suspect given the enthusiast nature of the product, its use cases and the type of person who will use it and how much, they know it's going to be hammered on.
 

sainraja

Member
I don't want to jinx myself haha but I haven't had stick drift issues (yet) or maybe I have and haven't noticed? How heavily are these controllers being used?
 
I don't want to jinx myself haha but I haven't had stick drift issues (yet) or maybe I have and haven't noticed? How heavily are these controllers being used?

First person shooters are what kills them. Running action tied to stick press. Destiny killed my OG DS4.
 
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I'm not going to rage on Microsoft but their quality control is shocking.

I went through 3 Xbox originals - all dvd player related issues

Elite 1 pad - shoulder button broke.

Elite 2 pad - stick slightly drifts

Then you got red ring of death on the early 360 models and some surface products began to go wrong just after warranty. Like wtf is wrong with them, you would think they learn but they got such huge pockets they don't seem to care.
 

01011001

Banned
Seriously. One of the worst gaming tropes ever. Who the hell thinks that's a good idea?

many games nowadays offer an option for auto Sprint (also called "Always Sprint") thankfully.
Fortnite, Apex Legends, Titanfall 2, CoD Modern Warfare (not sure about older entries) and some others... I think Hyper Scape has that opt too... not that anyone still plays it but still 🙃 (literally had to google the game's name just now)

in Apex Legends and Titanfall 2 I immediately turned that on... in Apex I basically have to due to my button mapping (Jump on L1, Ping on R1, Crouch on R3, Character Ability on L3) my run button is on X 🤣 and I'm not gonna press that every time I wanna sprint, which is 99% of the time I move lol

and honestly it's about damn time! THESE ARE ANALOG STICKS FOR FUCKS SAKE! you can vary your fucking movement speed by USING THE FUCKING ANALOG NATURE OF THE ANALOG STICKS!
this should have always been an option in every FPS!
 
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Redlancet

Banned
I have one of these and this is the second time it broke and waiting for a replacement, i laugh when people tellme about The excellent Microsoft quality control, my body count its five 360,two xbox x, and countless batteries from the 360 pads
 
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Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
Where do I sign.
Time to get paid!.....Then spend it all on Xbox Series X.
 

sainraja

Member
First person shooters are what kills them. Running action tied to stick press. Destiny killed my OG DS4.

I do play Destiny every now and then again, it's not that often. Specially Destiny 2. Would play D1 a lot more often. I guess I've been lucky.
 
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I do play Destiny every now and then again, it's not that often. Specially Destiny 2. Would play D1 a lot more often. I guess I've been lucky.

I played it daily doing daily's, weekly's, events and raids for good rolls etc and leveling up. Heavy hours. Every now and then it won't brick it. You're indeed lucky. Not everyone gets the stick drift.
 

FrankWza

Member
what am I missing here? how do these people think they have a case?
what, can products that get used on a daily basis and have moving parts that are directly moved by the user not have any wear now without the manufacturer having to be ready to get sued by some angry Karen that most likely had greesey dripping fat fingers from eating chips while playing Walking Sim #62527?

this is crazy to me... like... wtf?

its a $180 controller that has issues out of the box that you have to exchange. or ends up with issues on the 100th day against a 90day warranty
 
Here is how this goes. Keep launching law suits, and they will add system level dead zones that affect old games and new games.

I have had over 50 controllers since PS1 and N64, I think things are working pretty well. No perceptible drift once.

I seriously do not want dead zones added that fuck up everything for the past and into the future, and what recourse would we have for that?
 

Concern

Member
I've had no stick drift this gen, including an elite series 1. On last gen, 360 controllers always got it tho.

Nothing as far as the ps3 or ps4 tho.
 
Got the series 2 controller 2 months back and it's a brilliant piece of tech..... But the short battery life is incredibly concerning. And this stick drift is something I have to keep an eye out.
 
The quality of their controllers dropped considerably from last gen, the 360 controller was great all around but the X1 controllers in general feel cheap and both of the ones I had were mess up out of the box.
 

lukilladog

Member
I didn´t even bother buying the One controller after learning they were using the same type of potentiometer as the 360 (which is an ultra cheap part), instead I got a bunch of spare parts and solder, and fix them myself.
 
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