What is Causing the Xbox One Controller Drift?

According to a report from Tech Radar, at least one Xbox One owner has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, the manufacturer of the gaming console, regarding a defect known as Xbox One controller drift.

What is the Xbox One Controller Drift?

According to gamers who have experienced Xbox controller drift, the defect may occur after extended use of an Xbox console. When Xbox one controller drift occurs, it may result in issues with the controller’s ability to aim or move cursors, characters, or accessories on the screen. This may cause a gamer’s aim to be off, their character to fail to move in the way that they are attempting to move them, or their cursor to drift across the screen on its own, even when the console is not being touched.

What is Causing the Xbox One Controller Drift?

During regular use, gamers move, press, and wiggle the buttons and sticks on the controllers. Due to the heavy amount of wear and tear exerted on the controller sticks, these areas may begin to malfunction, resulting in controller drift.

Although this issue is believed to be related to heavy use of Xbox controllers, gamers argue that these controllers are meant to be pressed, wiggled, and moved and that the buttons and sticks should be able to withstand this kind of wear and tear.

Additionally, as these controllers are expensive, gamers who are forced to purchase several controllers due to controller drift may feel as though they are being scammed or taken advantage of by Microsoft. Without an incentive to make their products more durable and longer-lasting, the tech company may continue to produce defective controllers, requiring gamers to frequently replace their devices.

How Much is Xbox One Worth?

According to the U.S. Xbox website, an Xbox console may cost between $299 and $399, depending on which model you choose. Replacement controllers for these consoles may cost between $29.99 for the cheapest wired controller and $179.99 for an expensive wireless one.

Is Xbox One Controller Drift Covered by Warranty?

Xbox consoles and controllers are both covered by warranty. However, while the warranty for Xbox One consoles lasts an entire year, the warranty period for controllers is only 90 days.

Additionally, reports from gamers indicate that the Xbox drift defect usually occurs after this 90 day period has already passed.

Have Xbox One Controller Drift Lawsuits Been Filed?

At least one lawsuit has been filed regarding the Xbox One controller drift defect. Plaintiff Donald M. filed his class action lawsuit against Microsoft in April 2020 after allegedly experiencing the same defect on two different Xboxes.

According to Donald, when his first pricy Xbox controller began to exhibit symptoms of controller drift, he replaced it with a new one. However, after a few months, this second controller also became affected by the defect. According to him, he spent a considerable amount of time attempting to fix the defect on his own before his lawsuit.

However, he was unable to repair the controller. Additionally, he claims that this Xbox controller defect is not a rare fluke that just happened to affect him twice. Hundreds of other gamers have posted about the defect on the internet, with many of them creating how-to guides and videos instructing other gamers how to potentially repair their damaged controllers.

While some of these posts recommend potential fixes for the controller drift issue including installing any recent software updates, putting new batteries in the controller, turning the Xbox on and off, re-syncing the Xbox console to the controller, and cleaning any lint or dust out of the controller’s buttons, these suggestions may do little to fix the common problem of Xbox controllers prematurely breaking down.

In order to persuade Microsoft to take gamer complaints seriously and create controllers that can withstand normal gaming usage, it may be beneficial to speak with an attorney about your legal options including lawsuits.

Should I File an Xbox Lawsuit?

If you have experienced Xbox controller drift that has resulted in your Xbox controller becoming unusable, you may be able to join or file a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer. Speaking with a qualified attorney and filing a class action lawsuit may be one way for you to recover reimbursement and additional compensation for this frustrating defect. Additionally, class action lawsuits are often a successful way to persuade companies to fix defects and create better future products.

Join a Free Xbox Controller Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you bought an Xbox One controller and have had problems with stick drift, you may qualify to join this class action lawsuit investigation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.