Let’s track our broken controllers this gen.

[Iucidium]

Xbox One S
Had To warranty my son's controller (RB)

PS4
Launch controller - got stick covers (rubber peel).
20th anniversary controller - absolutely fine, put in a larger capacity battery (2000mah). Still use it for PS4 games today.

Switch
Launch left Joycon - drift, repair, drift again.
Replacement Joycons purchased (purple+yellow): fine.
Pro controller (Splatoon edition) fine.

PS5
Launch Dualsense began to drift (RS) cleaned it and everything then did the pinhole reset after an update - fine. Put in a 2600mah battery Xmas '22 - super fine.

 

[TheAggroCraig]

Switch - I've had to send in one joy con twice for repair, and the last time for that was probably 3 years ago, iirc it got held up early in the pandemic and showed up after things got sorted. My pro controller I've had for 5 years and is still working great.

XSX my controller I got 2 years ago is working great
PS5 I've barely used so it's still like new from a year ago

Xbox One - Only had one issue with one controller, and that was when I was drinking and spilled a mixed drink all over it. I traded that controller in with a console since the buttons would stick, a shame since it was a nice LE one but whatever.

PS4 my launch day one's battery was total shit which was my fault for using my fast charger from my phone on it I think, it got really bad pretty quickly and lasted a couple of hours at most by the end of it. I traded it in with my PS4 before I got my PS5 when Gamestop was offering absurd trade in values on it given how old it was

 

[Ganado]

Last controller bought was a XONE first revision, still works fine today even though it's been through some harsh abuse.

Click to shrink...

Though as an honest update as I didn't think about it, the membrane at the A button is broken so the button is a bit squishy with no feedback, but otherwise works fine. However, I just bought a new Elite Series 2 controller, lets see how it holds up. If I can get the same amount of time for that price, I'm happy.

 

[twofive]

DS4: 3 controllers, one have right stick peeling off

DS5: 2 controllers, no problem so far

Switch: 4 pairs of joycon, 2 pair have drifting and 1 pair in addition have an unresponsive R button. Pro is good so far.

Xbone: 2 controllers, no problem.

 

[Creepy Woody]

I've had no real issues yet with any controllers.

Xbox controller double inputs sometimes with the A button, which I've noticed on a lot of Xbox controllers since Xbox One. Mine is not bad at all, I've seen way worse.

I haven't used my joy-cons enough to make them drift as I mostly use the Pro controller.

No issues with any Dualsenses.

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

PS5 Worst analog drift I had ever seen, had to replace so I could play Ratchet and Clank. Platforming was literally impossible as Ratchet would immediately run of ledges after landing. The haptics broke a trigger on another controller.

Xbox One and Series X, PS4, and the Switch Pro controllers no issues. Just the PS5

 

[SpScarecrow]

One set of launch Joy cons had drift but i no longer have that Switch.
A ps4 pad that im sure my sisters ex swapped with his busted one cause i got it back without the grip i had on it and it would move on its own.
Power A wired controller got drift but i also got it for $15 so no real loss.

 

[Droidian]

Dualshock 4 : (ice blue) only 1 week in joystick drifting.
Nintendo switch (2nd version) : joystick drifting
Xbox : never had an issue with any controller except for maybe the one I use for PC started peeling a bit on the left joystick, nothing major.

I never had any issues with xbox controllers. I was always tempted to buy an Elite but everyone's issues deterred me from ever buying one.

 

[Yorker14]

I've owned a Playstation every gen since PS1 except for PS2. Only broken controller I've ever had was the spare Dualsense I bought when I purchased my PS5. The up button the d-pad didn't work out of the box so I replaced it. No issues since.

I did think recently that the haptics and adaptive triggers on both my Dualsense were playing up as they were making these terrible clicking noises. But it only happens when playing Overwatch and literally no other game, so I'm guessing that's probably just an OW issue?

 

[ElFly]

Switch:
-one joycon has a dead shoulder button
-one Pro controller drifts

PS4:
-drift on a controller after a lot of use

PS5:
-drift on a controller after a little longer than a year and a half?

 

[Perzeval]

I've actually never had a controller break on me

 

[Deleted member 4212]

My series x controller's right trigger started sticking last week. Seems like a common issue.

I cracked it open and found a little tiny strip of padding that I guess dampens the sound, but it had slid out of place and the trigger was hitting the glue where that padding was meant to be. The glue is just sticky enough to keep the trigger held a few hundred milliseconds after you let go, which is really annoying.

I didn't bother replacing the padding because I am sure it will slide out of place again if I tried. I just took it out and removed the glue by putting a strip of paper there and holding down the trigger and pulling out the paper at the same time a few times. Then I rubbed a tiny bit of isopropyl alcohol down there to get the rest. It got all the glue and now it works fine, it's just makes a slight clack when I slam the right trigger. First time I've had to do anything to a controller.

Fortunately, this is really easy to fix. Thanks to Microsoft for making that part of the controller really easy to open up and snap shut again. You just need something to wedge into the gap to pop it open. I have a spudger but a small flathead screwdriver would definitely work.

 

[KennyLinder]

Only one of my controllers out of all my consoles and computers in all my gaming history has broken.

Switch Joy Con (launch)

- Drift occured twice requiring new sticks
- Left controller no longer syncs for use sideways
- Right controller shoulder bumper stuck :/

 

[Fatmanp]

XSX - Sticky RT fixed by cleaning with rubbing

PS5 - R2 spring broke fixed with replacement spring.

No issues with Switch or last gen consoles.

 

[Milennia]

My launch dualsense is showing some drift, an update to my previous post lol

 

[Futabaisthebest<3]

My newly DS5 is slightly drifted like crazy, non-stop on the left stick. Sometimes it stopped and goes on and that which left me annoyed to no end. And yes, I've tried fixed it with all methods via Youtube, I really did, but to no avail. :(
For the record, I bought it last year and I thought it was better since it was brand, new model that far longer with battery than OG white one. Sigh...

And for both Switch Pro controller and Xbox One controller for PC, they were fine except just that one.

 

[thillygooth]

PS5: 2 Dual Senses with drift. First one lasted one month.
Switch: Pro Controller with drift.

 

[FUNKNOWN iXi]

Time to report a new issue with my Elite v2 controller --

Sometimes Up and Down on the left joystick doesn't work. I'll be playing Overwatch and my character sometimes can't move forward or back, only being locked to side to side. It's the weirdest thing.

And the A button still sucks.