See, the problem is people are "wearing down" their controllers within the first month or two of use. How come my ps2 analog sticks still work perfectly after almost 20 years??? Sounds like a bad product to me.....
My ps4 controller has gone without drift for 6 years and it still isn't drifting now, but a controller I got five or less months ago already has horrible drift
DS2 🎮 auto calibrated on start up or console pairing 🤷🏼♂️ using larger more robust potentiometer components, they seemed to drop the auto calibration on DS3 🎮. Then next gen DS4 🎮 opted for miniaturised potentiometers to save space time & money to fit more "progress" in the tech 😁 using 10K resistance trim pots. Dualsense 🎮 has opted for 2K3 potentiometer resistance values per axis, just to switch things up confuse people a bit maybe 🤷🏼♂️, make the components less familiar 😉, but in doing so it seems to have made them more sensitive to failure, when they go they seem to full tilt strop out of alignment. Highly strung they seem to be on far less tolerant response curves, but that's just my con-theory made up perspective lol. I've done the most detailed outlined information I know that is on RUclips, to my knowledge 🤔 DIY is here again 👍🏻🎮👍🏻.
@Boxhead77 Hilarious, considering N64 sticks are pretty well known to grind their gears and bowl into dust. Then again, all it takes is 10 minutes of your time, some silicone oil, and less than $5 of parts to near-permanently fix them.
Every generation since Analog sticks have existed has had issues with stick drift, some have been worse than others but every controller has had issues
As far as I can tell, the newer gen parts are just made to be more accurate and more lighter but if drifting is the price I think everyone can do without more accuracy.
Nah old controllers sucked way more. People just used their controllers way less because online gaming wasn't a thing. Used to be maybe you play a couple matches of FIFA against the computer every now and then or when friends came over. Now people play FIFA 40 hours a week online with friends trying to unlock trading cards or whatever it is people do. Games used to be much simpler and people played way less of them. Thats why controllers worked fine for years. But the controllers themselves were way crappier.
My left joy-con started drifting after about a year of semi-regular use. I used my GameCube controller more in that period, and have been using it fairly regularly since 2003. No drift there.
Yeah, gamecube controllers seem to last in my experience. Although most other console controllers I had something would break. I remember instead of drift the analog stick would just get stuck in a direction.
@@TigerTT not my experience, always had original dualschock 2's last for max 1.5 years of moderate use.... Best controllers i have seen until now, ngc, xb360 and xbox one to some degree (one xb one controller is from 2013 and still works like a charm)
In my experience, GameCube controllers had more of an issue of the joystick getting wobbly, similar to the N64's, but then again that was in an era when Nintendo mailed you a brand new controller for just calling them up.
They had drift as well just not as many online forums to talk about it on. The first controllers with analog sticks I ever had wich were the dual analog ps1 controllers, one of the 2 developed stick drift to the point of being unusable. Luckily back then most games didn’t need them and you could turn off the sticks and just use the dpad
@@obsolete18 not as many online forums? Do you think the ps1 came out in the 80’s? As soon as the internet became more commonplace forums became commonplace and if it was the same problem for all of them we would’ve seen it with the ps3 era which came about when many such forums undoubtedly existed and we wouldn’t be hearing about it just from the PS4, xbox1 and switch generation, more than likely they changed the parts or the construction to something less durable. Also using yourself as an example? Without being able to prove it? Your words can’t be proven and as a such it holds no meaning.
@@AtelierGod 1. why would I have any reason to lie and 2. Look up ps3 stick drift or Xbox 360 stick drift and you will it was happening then too. People aren’t talking about it now because the last time they were relevant was 8 years ago. You can even find posts talking about early DualShocks and og Xbox controllers. Just because you aren’t hearing about it now doesn’t mean it didn’t happen
@@AtelierGod You didn't hear about "drift" for the same reason you didn't hear about "simps" back then. It is not that simps didn't exist, its just that there wasn't a generally recognized term for them. Drift has been happening for a long time, its just nobody knew what to call it.
If they didn't drift they just broke in other ways lmao. A good amount of my Playstation controllers (PS2,3,4) have ended up with a problem of some kind. The one that's lasted the longest for me was those new Dualshock 3s that came with the slim, and I've used those the most out of any other controller I've owned.
I've only had drift issues this generation of console. Every previous generation console with analog sticks while do get worn and softer never drifted. That only conclusion it leads me is that analog sticks aren't made like they are use to and are just crap now.
This is by far the most succinct explanation of controller drift I have seen so far. So easy to understand especially with the 3D model of the potentiometer. Great Job!!
The best solution imo, is making controller sticks modular. Just give them a stick connected by a ribbon cable like the joy-cons. Easily user replaceable and no soldering required.
It’s actually extremely easy/ beginner friendly to replace the analog stick on a joy con and costs about 12 bucks for a kit with 2, and a bunch of little tools for taking the joycon apart. I’ve found it much harder (by no means impossible though) to fix a xbox/ PlayStation gamepad. so in most cases, I would just grab a new controller, especially if cleaning is not fixing it. Joy cons are ridiculous expensive so taking a half hour to learn how it works is pretty useful. Infact I showed my 11 year old son how to do it so it’s pretty accessible.
As others are pointing out, this just doesnt really add up. I have older X-Box controllers, and a couple of PS2 controllers, some of them second hand, almost all of them I also put through the ringer with enough play to make multiple joysticks go shiny smooth, and not one of my older controllers has drift. How then are some of these new console controllers regularly drifting after a few months of light play? Or in some cases, (though admittedly more anecdotally), appear to drift out of the box? I.e. Normal wear and tear doesnt really explain why this has become such a huge issue with only new controllers, when this technology has been around for multiple generations. - There are two possibilities I can think of, both could be true to some extent and one is more cynical than the other. 1. The control is now at a higher precision with less dead area and this has traded away some of the robustness of older designs. 2. They are cost cutting, the parts just arnt up to quality but they figured it was good enough and wouldnt blow up as a story.
Ok, thanks for the explanation on what the possible causes of this issue are, but the question I want to see answers for are why are all the issues you mentioned becoming the new normal? What is the reason that we have this problem now, and more importantly why did we not have this problem in the past? What is the way to fix this problem going forward in perpetuity? And really, I want to know how much additional money the console manufacturers have and will make from customers having to purchase new controllers every couple of years and is this really an issue of intentionally manufactured planned obsolescence?
My Xbox One X controller drifted out of the box! Fortunately, it wasn't hard to adjust dead zones and such, but yeah, this isn't a "wear and tear" thing.
You’ve got a series 2 elite, go to Microsoft subscriptions, add the device via its serial number and it will give you warrantee from purchase date. They’ll cover all the prices for shipping etc and fix/replace your device no matter this issue with it. You get a year not 3 months now as series 2 have had it extended due to more common issues like stick drift so use it!
rocking a xbox360 controller for years now and it's my most used one out of all controllers i have. But well, my joycons started drifting about half a year after i bought them and even my oculus touch controllers drift... (also got n64 nintendo ds and Psvita with their weird "analog sticks" but none of those had any issues)
I think all they have to do is to allow the user to increase the dead zone of the analog stick. I have a ps4 controller since launch and I only experienced drift in MGS5 which known to be having very sensitive control. I plugged the controller into the PC and the software only reads very very small drift.
holy shit same but i have had two xbox one controllers with no drift but two series controllers which had drift in the first month of playing mgs 5. It seems they are not only made for child hands but expect the same kind of pressure.
Hey mate, we just have finished the world first electromagnetic joystick on our new King Kong 2 PRO controller to solve the annoying drifting problem ultimately.
Okay but one thing I want to know is the difference between these newer Analog sticks and ones from say the 360/ps3 era where it seemed like you really had to run a controller into the ground before something like drift started. Or is it just more noticeable to with software being more sensitive to it or something?
About the lil spring inside the joystick slowly getting stretched out and the controller thinking its being pressed on, the gamecube interestingly had somewhat of a fix for it which is that the position the joystick is in when you connect it or turn on the console would be reset as its neutral meaning even if the spring finds its self in a new position its STILL going to be in neutral the moment you plug in the controller.
N64 and later Gamecube used an Optical sensor, the auto-centering was a side-effect of its design. I think developers need to use current mouse optical tech to reinvent the optical analogue stick.
All 3 companies should be blamed, but I gotta disagree on Alps. When all 3 are getting lawsuits for drift, you know the manufacturer should be questioned as ps3, 360, and wii u first party controllers RARELY had drift and work to this day
Good video! Very well explained! Dispelling myths through education is alway good in my book! However the animation at 2:47 did make me laugh as the white plunger doesn't bend it moves with the shaft telescopically, this is the part in the Xbox Elite 2 sticks that cause the wobble and hence "drift" sometimes also compounded with potentomiter wear and tear. These used to wear out on a certain model of PS3 controller when they used magnetic potentomiters.
Optical Analogue Controllers. If the problem is mechanical... then they need to look at creating a more modern optical analogue stick. Its a technology Nintendo used in the N64 controller, that hasn't been revisited for the cheaper potentiometers by any console/controller manufacturer in the last 25 years... despite the improvements in mouse optical drivers in the last 2 decades. Optical analogue sticks can also be calibrated when first powered (which N64 controller did) or in software.
For those of you with a switch: Nintendo does free maintenance on joycons that experience drift. Just google "nintendo joy con repairs" and their form will come up. If they can't fix it they will also replace your joy con at no cost. It takes some time, but you can't beat free repairs and free shipping
part of the problem is RUclips's algorithm is heavily weighted towards channels that produce dauly cojtent, either by because of sheer frequency of vids or indirectly via the fact you'd usually watch a channel more if it constantly shat out content versus one that can take weeks or a month (or even weekly) for content to appear.
I still think that it is faulty manufacturing design. They don't care about the fact that the way they designed it makes it so easy to fall apart. Like why isn't there some more guards against debris? My freaking PS3 controller has lived for many years, why are all the next gen consoles so fragile in this way?
@@shawngaines1117 they're probably going to have to spend more money anyway due to all these lawsuits that could have been avoided if they'd just recalled and fixed their controllers right away So its like pick your poison how do they want to lose their money
It's by design. These companies want you to buy new controllers every year. Its soo common that almost every person who has owned the current gen and last gen consoles experienced stick drift at some point.
So... components for the analog functionality were better in the past. But... companies had to migrate to cheaper ones, as they added other features to controllers, to try to make controllers less expensive. But that introduced this awful problem.
I find it very interesting That I have never had a PS2 or PS1 or even my ps3 do the Drift. Lets be honest here at some point a cost saving measure was taking that caused these issues.
It's actually easier than that. The issue is the topic this video left out. The track (the part that has wear and tear) can be made to last longer with different material and coating, those coatings and materials have higher prices. This is something on the manufacturing side that has existed for a long while. It's only really bad now because the console companies have been buying the sticks with shorter expected operational time. So to put it bluntly, the video is wrong and it all comes down to the companies being fking cheap since manufacturing hardware is becoming more expensive since they add alot more useless "advancements" like HD rumble. So, how is it easier? Simple, the videogame companies just need to do one single thing: STOP CHEAPING OUT ON US!
@@Hadeks_Marow Well, no, the video is correct. But yes, the things in the video happen when a company cheaps out on parts. But honestly when everyone wants cheap consoles and cheap gimmicks what did people expect?
I feel like if they just swapped the "resistance ring" mechanism for a compact series of laser readers (like what makes a mouse to accurate), they'd almost never drift. Having a friction-based mechanism on such a small and precise scale seems like a bad idea from the start.
Had a couple ps4 controllers drift on me and the controller that came with my ps5 started drifting pretty quickly. Bought another one and that ones been fine.
Don’t, that will void your warranty. Put in a warranty claim and Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo (whichever controller you have that is faulty) can repair or replace the controller for you as long as it isn’t outside of the warranty period.
Off Amazon I got a set of 4 "3D controller analog sensor switch joystick wireless controller rocker replacement for Xbox One" by Yosoo. And am still waiting on my Pinecil soldering iron to arrive.
Was way outside warranty and I already tried using electrical contact cleaner on it, so figured it would be a fun project to do. And it gave me a reason to get the Pinecil.
@@Dan-Simms I see, are those generic or high quality ones since I searched the yosoo analog replacement on amazon and saw alps written on them in the images.
It's not just a next-gen issue. I've had stick drift on ps3 and ps4 controllers (and loose N64 joysticks but those sucked). Games that caused it for me has been FPS where you have to tilt the and press the joystick at the same time like when sprinting in Call of duty. That kind of motion puts a lot of stress on the whole mechanism and in those types of games, you do it very often. My controllers that have been mostly used to play JRPGs are just like new after thousands of hours used.
They ordered it from the same parts manufacturer (maybe due to patent agreement, so they are the only sole manufacturer than can manufacture the part), so it's have the same quality problem.
So, what's the difference between these new controllers and older ones? I still have a 360 controller that I bought for my PC ages ago and it still works fine, and then there's my GameCube controller that I still use to play smash to this day.
But why is this happening now? I owned an xbox one for 7 years and never had a problem. Then 8 months into a switch it started drifting. Did something happen to the analog sticks in the last few years?
Well they might have because they all came from the same company so maybe we should ask them about instead of giving the companies out I'm not saying they're fully out of this but still
I wonder if there might be something nefarious going on here. Like when lightbulb manufacturers intentionally reduced the lifespan of bulbs to sell more
Right, it all base on what nintendo microsoft sony to step in maybe perhaps finally fixing improvements their video game consoles controllers ect so become more long lasting increase longevity. Or they continue being greedys and risk losing more customers completely stop buying their products all to togetherness maybe switch to pc gaming or different hobby.
There isn't. ALPS makes the best thumbsticks on the market, thats why everyone uses them. Moving parts wear down and break. If you can figure out how to make a thumbstick that never wears out, lots of people would be willing to pay you lots of money. Probably win a nobel prize while you are at it.
@@nerdstrangler4804 Then why the hell is it suddenly becoming a big issue now? Why is it that my playstation 2 controller from 2003, my gamecube controller, my freaking n64 controller, both my Wii nunchucks, my Wii U game pad, and even my old xbone controller are all completely drift free (aside from a worn down spring in the ps2 one after almost 2 decades of use), while I've had 3 joy-cons start experiencing drift after around a year of use. A crap ton of people are having this exact same experience, where up until now if a controller stopped working, it was the person's fault, they either dropped it or spilled something on it or whatever. But starting with the switch and continuing with the xbox SX and PS5 controllers, now these controllers start drifting if you look at them wrong, while the controllers are more expensive than ever. If the same company is making components for the thumbsticks for all three companies, then something is going on here. Perhaps they are intentionally gimping the life of their components so they sell more, which companies get found out for all the time.
@@11cat123 I actually don't know who makes the joycon thumbstick, maybe its not alps which is why it sucks. Or maybe it's because it is a radically new and different design. But I am fairly confident nobody is intentionally gimping anything, because there is a much more obvious explanation... which is that engineering and manufacturing really tiny complex components is incredibly difficult.
I was wondering what that drift means, but as I excepted, it's that it moves by itself. Luckily I use older controllers and haven't got that issue, at least not yet.
I’ve just been plagued with Nintendo’s Joycon drift on the left analog. Weirdly, it’s fixed and broken with every other firmware update. I can’t take it anymore so I sent it in for repair. It was becoming so difficult that I couldn’t even play anything anymore.
My young cousin had this problem his mom had a shock after takeing it to the shock they said sweets milkshake and dust was the problem he had the Xbox series for 3 weeks
Only time I have ever experienced drift on any generation of video game controller was after throwing at the wall or directly into the ground and even then the controllers still worked. I don't have a switch, PS5 or the new Xbox so how are these brand new state of the art controllers already having problems?
There is no excuse for this. My oldest N64 controllers had joysticks that went 100% limp and still funtioned well enough for guests and younger siblings.
My ps5 is only 3 to 4 months old and my controller stick drift is absolutely awful. I’ve tried all the remedies on RUclips that some great people have suggested, but now it still does not work. I guess its time to claim it on the PlayStation web page. Thanks for this video.
Trim pots are just crap way to accurately measure resistance over time, they gradually(sometimes quickly) go bad. I've known this since back when I repaired PS3/X360 for a living (no longer). There needs to be a better way.
one of my controllers for my ps4 lasted 6 years of constant gaming drops and heavy use. It started to drift so i slammed it and it work. Every time it didn't work I'd slam it on my knee and it work just like normal.
There's a pretty decent bandage for this problem on PC, which consoles should adopt. There are programs that let you adjust your deadzone. It's not a fix but could potentially extend the life for some for quite some time.
I sometime wonder if some "Drift" issues is on account the joystick get junk stuck in it? And Folks blam the issue on bad parts. I had a friend tell me their 2 Xbox Series X controller were drifting every now and again, and they were about to buy 2 new one. But I told them to clean them first, they did, and they haven't had an issue since.
Yes! Iv always said this, only ever had 1 controller shift, and it was me who course it. My friend had 4 controllers shift on him. I've seen him play and the way he presses down in the stick make me mad, iv try to tell him, but he thinks it's sonys fault.
Nope not at all Although I’m sure the way people treat their controllers is a factor but sadly it’s all about luck I literally exchanged my Elite Series II because a button was going out and drift and the brand new one had stick drift it was complete bullshit I just wasn’t going to drive back 70+(all together 140+) miles to exchange again
Treating a controller bad can be a factor but not the main reason for drift I'm always safe with my controllers but I also play games like siege and dead by daylight both require a lot of quick movements I had to get a new controller from my old one that had a small drift to a new one that had a drift after no less than 3 days... It's honestly dumb luck I ended up swapping out controllers 3 more times always treating them with care in the end my current lasted about a month before it started having a light drift.
A little drift is one thing, completely moving on its own and at a speed much worse than anything else on the joy-con drift is a whole other thing. I can still play my Xbox/PC with the little drift it has, but my switch is literally unplayable atm until I get BOTH of my joy-con sets fixed.
I've had numerous ps4, xbox controllers and xbox elite 1 and 2 controllers end up drifting. The analog part with the track and wiper have been used for years and we still haven't found any new ways to resolve the issue. If its about money then to sony and Microsofts benefit its more beneficial to them if the average user just gives up and buys a new controller which sucks.
Did you really use N64 controllers as an example of a quality controller?? I love my N64 but that specific controller was the worst offender for anything joystick related. Forget drift, the stick not even being centred physically was a common issue.
@@DipolarApathy i have the same controller I've had since I was a child. I take very good care of my things. Especially video game related things. I bought a switch lite and it started to drift THAT WEEK. i got my money back and said screw it cuz I see im not the only one suffering from this
@@cokaneds that's the point! They are apparently the "worst" with drift, yet in the year 2021, we have controllers drifting in 100 hrs of game use???? Thats insane!
So if these are the best/most used controller modules on the market, and they still are imperfect and the solution to drift is far from obvious, shouldn't a lawsuit actually have no standing since there isn't really any way to make a better controller right now? I could understand a warranty issue, but outside of that what are the controller manufacturers that get their components from third party suppliers supposed to do?
Go back to using controller modules that were used back when analog controllers weren't plagued with drifting issues? Clearly the current ones are not "the best". Almost guaranteed something was done to cut costs and it ended up making shit quality.
It's by design. I refuse to believe anything else because I never had these problems with ps1, 2 and 3. But 4 it started getting bad and 5 is just horrible.
I must be one of the lucky ones then. I had two ps4 controllers with my ps4 and used them heavily for over two years, a few months now with the ps5 and two controllers as well, still no probs...
Because they are not the stick manufacturers. The stick manufacturers are a seporate company. Of whom, already have better sticks but cost more. They've had them for a very long time now. The problem is the console companies just don't feel like paying for it anymore. It all comes down to the type of material and coating they use on the track. It can allow the potentiometer to last more cycles. Next gen is definitely on the cheaper side as far as which stick models they went with.
@@Hadeks_Marow Well I think he may be fibbing. I do not know of any better component, and they are already using a carbon resin which is the most wear resistant material I know of.
Getting sick of this shit. I’m fed up with these big corporations asking for more and more money for products that don’t work, and are prone to breaking. I’m about to say fuck gaming.
Look up Inside Games on YT. Just want to spread the word. Not going anywhere, btw, I will continue to watch your content here for everyone I've grown to love and your unique takes and vids. ❤️💜❤️
That's real nice and all but why should I have to do maintenance or do tear downs and replace parts? The RREAL question is why do older controllers still work today. My original Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, & Dreamcast still work just fine. Maybe you should do a comparison video...my guess is CHEAP parts from GINA in order to save $$$.
I am curious why the issue seems worse than in previous generations. Are we noticing the issue more, or did older consoles use a different technology that is less susceptible?
I'd say a mixture of both as outside of third party really mostly unknown ones I haven't had drift issius and usually those even on the relatively unknown ones tended to not show up for a long time realitvly speaking compared to these new actually bland name ones
See, the problem is people are "wearing down" their controllers within the first month or two of use. How come my ps2 analog sticks still work perfectly after almost 20 years??? Sounds like a bad product to me.....
Yeah in my experiences i've never experiences game pad drifts to all the way till seventh generation game consoles. (Ps3 xbox360 ect)
My Wii U lasted longer then 2 pairs of my joycons
My ps4 controller has gone without drift for 6 years and it still isn't drifting now, but a controller I got five or less months ago already has horrible drift
@@Anotheruser229 which controller?
DS2 🎮 auto calibrated on start up or console pairing 🤷🏼♂️ using larger more robust potentiometer components, they seemed to drop the auto calibration on DS3 🎮.
Then next gen DS4 🎮 opted for miniaturised potentiometers to save space time & money to fit more "progress" in the tech 😁 using 10K resistance trim pots.
Dualsense 🎮 has opted for 2K3 potentiometer resistance values per axis, just to switch things up confuse people a bit maybe 🤷🏼♂️, make the components less familiar 😉, but in doing so it seems to have made them more sensitive to failure, when they go they seem to full tilt strop out of alignment.
Highly strung they seem to be on far less tolerant response curves, but that's just my con-theory made up perspective lol.
I've done the most detailed outlined information I know that is on RUclips, to my knowledge 🤔 DIY is here again 👍🏻🎮👍🏻.
Somewhere, the steam controller is chanting an evil curse on us all.
N64's optical analogue stick is cursing Nintendo for abandoning it for cheaper mass-produced third-party components.
@Boxhead77 Hilarious, considering N64 sticks are pretty well known to grind their gears and bowl into dust. Then again, all it takes is 10 minutes of your time, some silicone oil, and less than $5 of parts to near-permanently fix them.
They could just, you know, use the parts that were in older controllers. Those worked fine for years.
Every generation since Analog sticks have existed has had issues with stick drift, some have been worse than others but every controller has had issues
As far as I can tell, the newer gen parts are just made to be more accurate and more lighter but if drifting is the price I think everyone can do without more accuracy.
Nah old controllers sucked way more. People just used their controllers way less because online gaming wasn't a thing. Used to be maybe you play a couple matches of FIFA against the computer every now and then or when friends came over. Now people play FIFA 40 hours a week online with friends trying to unlock trading cards or whatever it is people do.
Games used to be much simpler and people played way less of them. Thats why controllers worked fine for years. But the controllers themselves were way crappier.
@@obsolete18 lol cap. It's called making expensive stuff that breaks so they buy it again. Companies ain't slick and I wasn't born yesterday
My 360 never had drift but my brand new series x does
My left joy-con started drifting after about a year of semi-regular use. I used my GameCube controller more in that period, and have been using it fairly regularly since 2003. No drift there.
Yeah, gamecube controllers seem to last in my experience. Although most other console controllers I had something would break. I remember instead of drift the analog stick would just get stuck in a direction.
I could throw a PS2 controller at a wall 100 times and it'll still work like new lol
@@TigerTT not my experience, always had original dualschock 2's last for max 1.5 years of moderate use....
Best controllers i have seen until now, ngc, xb360 and xbox one to some degree (one xb one controller is from 2013 and still works like a charm)
@@TigerTT lol same though dbz games with beam and punch clashes would wreck my hands and my analog rubbers
In my experience, GameCube controllers had more of an issue of the joystick getting wobbly, similar to the N64's, but then again that was in an era when Nintendo mailed you a brand new controller for just calling them up.
I got my PS5 in January. My left stick already has dirft issues.
Drift seems to only be a problem with modern controllers, then what changed from older controllers that don’t get drift?
They had drift as well just not as many online forums to talk about it on. The first controllers with analog sticks I ever had wich were the dual analog ps1 controllers, one of the 2 developed stick drift to the point of being unusable. Luckily back then most games didn’t need them and you could turn off the sticks and just use the dpad
@@obsolete18 not as many online forums? Do you think the ps1 came out in the 80’s? As soon as the internet became more commonplace forums became commonplace and if it was the same problem for all of them we would’ve seen it with the ps3 era which came about when many such forums undoubtedly existed and we wouldn’t be hearing about it just from the PS4, xbox1 and switch generation, more than likely they changed the parts or the construction to something less durable.
Also using yourself as an example? Without being able to prove it? Your words can’t be proven and as a such it holds no meaning.
@@AtelierGod 1. why would I have any reason to lie and 2. Look up ps3 stick drift or Xbox 360 stick drift and you will it was happening then too. People aren’t talking about it now because the last time they were relevant was 8 years ago. You can even find posts talking about early DualShocks and og Xbox controllers. Just because you aren’t hearing about it now doesn’t mean it didn’t happen
@@AtelierGod You didn't hear about "drift" for the same reason you didn't hear about "simps" back then. It is not that simps didn't exist, its just that there wasn't a generally recognized term for them.
Drift has been happening for a long time, its just nobody knew what to call it.
If they didn't drift they just broke in other ways lmao. A good amount of my Playstation controllers (PS2,3,4) have ended up with a problem of some kind. The one that's lasted the longest for me was those new Dualshock 3s that came with the slim, and I've used those the most out of any other controller I've owned.
Thought I clicked on an old daily for a second at the start
Zach on a weekday on the Inside Gaming channel, this is a treat.
Sooo... Why do previous gen controllers work better? Is it just because those don't have high sensitivity like next gen ones?
No Xbox one and ps4 controllers drift too. So does 360 and ps3
@@alkoholic3216 but is it anywhere close to how it is now tho?
@@Yuhara_revI didn’t think it can get any worse jeez
I've only had drift issues this generation of console. Every previous generation console with analog sticks while do get worn and softer never drifted.
That only conclusion it leads me is that analog sticks aren't made like they are use to and are just crap now.
so why do we play the console then, are we suppose to just stare at a dead paper weight.
This is by far the most succinct explanation of controller drift I have seen so far. So easy to understand especially with the 3D model of the potentiometer. Great Job!!
The best solution imo, is making controller sticks modular. Just give them a stick connected by a ribbon cable like the joy-cons. Easily user replaceable and no soldering required.
But the joy-cons have worse drift than normal
I bought a Scuff controller 8 years ago and it still works amazing after heavy use with no drift. Clearly quality controllers can be made.
It’s actually extremely easy/ beginner friendly to replace the analog stick on a joy con and costs about 12 bucks for a kit with 2, and a bunch of little tools for taking the joycon apart. I’ve found it much harder (by no means impossible though) to fix a xbox/ PlayStation gamepad. so in most cases, I would just grab a new controller, especially if cleaning is not fixing it.
Joy cons are ridiculous expensive so taking a half hour to learn how it works is pretty useful. Infact I showed my 11 year old son how to do it so it’s pretty accessible.
As others are pointing out, this just doesnt really add up.
I have older X-Box controllers, and a couple of PS2 controllers, some of them second hand, almost all of them I also put through the ringer with enough play to make multiple joysticks go shiny smooth, and not one of my older controllers has drift. How then are some of these new console controllers regularly drifting after a few months of light play? Or in some cases, (though admittedly more anecdotally), appear to drift out of the box?
I.e. Normal wear and tear doesnt really explain why this has become such a huge issue with only new controllers, when this technology has been around for multiple generations.
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There are two possibilities I can think of, both could be true to some extent and one is more cynical than the other. 1. The control is now at a higher precision with less dead area and this has traded away some of the robustness of older designs. 2. They are cost cutting, the parts just arnt up to quality but they figured it was good enough and wouldnt blow up as a story.
Ok, thanks for the explanation on what the possible causes of this issue are, but the question I want to see answers for are why are all the issues you mentioned becoming the new normal? What is the reason that we have this problem now, and more importantly why did we not have this problem in the past? What is the way to fix this problem going forward in perpetuity?
And really, I want to know how much additional money the console manufacturers have and will make from customers having to purchase new controllers every couple of years and is this really an issue of intentionally manufactured planned obsolescence?
every couple years?!?! my has it in 3 months
My Xbox One X controller drifted out of the box! Fortunately, it wasn't hard to adjust dead zones and such, but yeah, this isn't a "wear and tear" thing.
Same here, I bought an controller for my pc and the drift was already an issue
That one's a simple factory mess up
You’ve got a series 2 elite, go to Microsoft subscriptions, add the device via its serial number and it will give you warrantee from purchase date. They’ll cover all the prices for shipping etc and fix/replace your device no matter this issue with it. You get a year not 3 months now as series 2 have had it extended due to more common issues like stick drift so use it!
Playing Madden online is a pain. 360 controllers lasted longer but had issues as well but not like the new ones. It really really sucks...
LOOOOOKKKK not Brian!!! ahh sweet nostalgia!
rocking a xbox360 controller for years now and it's my most used one out of all controllers i have. But well, my joycons started drifting about half a year after i bought them and even my oculus touch controllers drift... (also got n64 nintendo ds and Psvita with their weird "analog sticks" but none of those had any issues)
I haven’t seen a single video from this channel in my subscription box in months. I thought the channel went out of business
damn i just realized that as well
Weird I am subbed to this channel but never see your stuff in my feed :( keep up the great content!
I think all they have to do is to allow the user to increase the dead zone of the analog stick. I have a ps4 controller since launch and I only experienced drift in MGS5 which known to be having very sensitive control. I plugged the controller into the PC and the software only reads very very small drift.
holy shit same but i have had two xbox one controllers with no drift but two series controllers which had drift in the first month of playing mgs 5. It seems they are not only made for child hands but expect the same kind of pressure.
Hey mate, we just have finished the world first electromagnetic joystick on our new King Kong 2 PRO controller to solve the annoying drifting problem ultimately.
So great to see you briefly at the begging of the video Zach but kind of weird not seeing your cat sitting on its couch.
Okay but one thing I want to know is the difference between these newer Analog sticks and ones from say the 360/ps3 era where it seemed like you really had to run a controller into the ground before something like drift started. Or is it just more noticeable to with software being more sensitive to it or something?
About the lil spring inside the joystick slowly getting stretched out and the controller thinking its being pressed on, the gamecube interestingly had somewhat of a fix for it which is that the position the joystick is in when you connect it or turn on the console would be reset as its neutral meaning even if the spring finds its self in a new position its STILL going to be in neutral the moment you plug in the controller.
N64 and later Gamecube used an Optical sensor, the auto-centering was a side-effect of its design.
I think developers need to use current mouse optical tech to reinvent the optical analogue stick.
All 3 companies should be blamed, but I gotta disagree on Alps. When all 3 are getting lawsuits for drift, you know the manufacturer should be questioned as ps3, 360, and wii u first party controllers RARELY had drift and work to this day
Good video! Very well explained! Dispelling myths through education is alway good in my book! However the animation at 2:47 did make me laugh as the white plunger doesn't bend it moves with the shaft telescopically, this is the part in the Xbox Elite 2 sticks that cause the wobble and hence "drift" sometimes also compounded with potentomiter wear and tear. These used to wear out on a certain model of PS3 controller when they used magnetic potentomiters.
Optical Analogue Controllers.
If the problem is mechanical... then they need to look at creating a more modern optical analogue stick.
Its a technology Nintendo used in the N64 controller, that hasn't been revisited for the cheaper potentiometers by any console/controller manufacturer in the last 25 years... despite the improvements in mouse optical drivers in the last 2 decades.
Optical analogue sticks can also be calibrated when first powered (which N64 controller did) or in software.
I'm incredibly surprised to see educational content on this channel
I actually really like this direction!
These kinds of videos are great because it’s nice to have the knowledge behind a problem
Thank you so much for this. This explained it in a very easy to understand way. I learned something new!
For those of you with a switch: Nintendo does free maintenance on joycons that experience drift. Just google "nintendo joy con repairs" and their form will come up. If they can't fix it they will also replace your joy con at no cost. It takes some time, but you can't beat free repairs and free shipping
Damn, you guys still kicking!? You don't show up on my feed anymore even though I'm subbed.
They have Brian's roundup on, I believe, Friday evenings, and they'll have the odd video like this, usually once a week.
I have the same issue
I get all the notifications. Make sure you click the bell and have them turned on.
part of the problem is RUclips's algorithm is heavily weighted towards channels that produce dauly cojtent, either by because of sheer frequency of vids or indirectly via the fact you'd usually watch a channel more if it constantly shat out content versus one that can take weeks or a month (or even weekly) for content to appear.
I still think that it is faulty manufacturing design. They don't care about the fact that the way they designed it makes it so easy to fall apart. Like why isn't there some more guards against debris? My freaking PS3 controller has lived for many years, why are all the next gen consoles so fragile in this way?
Because like You said redesign in any shape or form will cost extra money and they don’t want to spend it
@@shawngaines1117 they're probably going to have to spend more money anyway due to all these lawsuits that could have been avoided if they'd just recalled and fixed their controllers right away
So its like pick your poison how do they want to lose their money
It's by design. These companies want you to buy new controllers every year. Its soo common that almost every person who has owned the current gen and last gen consoles experienced stick drift at some point.
So... components for the analog functionality were better in the past.
But... companies had to migrate to cheaper ones, as they added other features to controllers, to try to make controllers less expensive.
But that introduced this awful problem.
I find it very interesting That I have never had a PS2 or PS1 or even my ps3 do the Drift. Lets be honest here at some point a cost saving measure was taking that caused these issues.
Seems like it'd be an easy fix to just give the player the ability to set the zero to whatever the stick rests at
I think that may be an imperfect fix but plausible
If it can get a few more months use out of a controller then that is a good thing.
It's actually easier than that. The issue is the topic this video left out. The track (the part that has wear and tear) can be made to last longer with different material and coating, those coatings and materials have higher prices. This is something on the manufacturing side that has existed for a long while. It's only really bad now because the console companies have been buying the sticks with shorter expected operational time.
So to put it bluntly, the video is wrong and it all comes down to the companies being fking cheap since manufacturing hardware is becoming more expensive since they add alot more useless "advancements" like HD rumble.
So, how is it easier? Simple, the videogame companies just need to do one single thing:
STOP CHEAPING OUT ON US!
games already have dead zones in controls settings
@@Hadeks_Marow Well, no, the video is correct. But yes, the things in the video happen when a company cheaps out on parts. But honestly when everyone wants cheap consoles and cheap gimmicks what did people expect?
I feel like if they just swapped the "resistance ring" mechanism for a compact series of laser readers (like what makes a mouse to accurate), they'd almost never drift. Having a friction-based mechanism on such a small and precise scale seems like a bad idea from the start.
That's what many older controllers did. The reason controllers drift like they do now is because the companies are being cheap.
Interesting and informative, with simple to understand video and script. Thanks Zach! :D
Had a couple ps4 controllers drift on me and the controller that came with my ps5 started drifting pretty quickly. Bought another one and that ones been fine.
I just bought replacement parts and am waiting on a new soldering iron to ship to try to fix mine.
Don’t, that will void your warranty. Put in a warranty claim and Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo (whichever controller you have that is faulty) can repair or replace the controller for you as long as it isn’t outside of the warranty period.
Which parts/model did you get?
Off Amazon I got a set of 4 "3D controller analog sensor switch joystick wireless controller rocker replacement for Xbox One" by Yosoo.
And am still waiting on my Pinecil soldering iron to arrive.
Was way outside warranty and I already tried using electrical contact cleaner on it, so figured it would be a fun project to do. And it gave me a reason to get the Pinecil.
@@Dan-Simms I see, are those generic or high quality ones since I searched the yosoo analog replacement on amazon and saw alps written on them in the images.
So, what's going on when my drift only occurs when I press the left trigger? Does it somehow cross with the potentiometer?
It's not just a next-gen issue. I've had stick drift on ps3 and ps4 controllers (and loose N64 joysticks but those sucked). Games that caused it for me has been FPS where you have to tilt the and press the joystick at the same time like when sprinting in Call of duty. That kind of motion puts a lot of stress on the whole mechanism and in those types of games, you do it very often. My controllers that have been mostly used to play JRPGs are just like new after thousands of hours used.
bruh none of those compared to playing dbz games on the ps2 which only had loose rubber as a result and would work for decades
Yaaaaay I love your videos guys you’re awesome all of you, hope you’re enjoying yourselves
They ordered it from the same parts manufacturer (maybe due to patent agreement, so they are the only sole manufacturer than can manufacture the part), so it's have the same quality problem.
So, what's the difference between these new controllers and older ones? I still have a 360 controller that I bought for my PC ages ago and it still works fine, and then there's my GameCube controller that I still use to play smash to this day.
But why is this happening now? I owned an xbox one for 7 years and never had a problem. Then 8 months into a switch it started drifting. Did something happen to the analog sticks in the last few years?
Well they might have because they all came from the same company so maybe we should ask them about instead of giving the companies out I'm not saying they're fully out of this but still
I wonder if there might be something nefarious going on here. Like when lightbulb manufacturers intentionally reduced the lifespan of bulbs to sell more
Right, it all base on what nintendo microsoft sony to step in maybe perhaps finally fixing improvements their video game consoles controllers ect so become more long lasting increase longevity. Or they continue being greedys and risk losing more customers completely stop buying their products all to togetherness maybe switch to pc gaming or different hobby.
There isn't. ALPS makes the best thumbsticks on the market, thats why everyone uses them.
Moving parts wear down and break. If you can figure out how to make a thumbstick that never wears out, lots of people would be willing to pay you lots of money. Probably win a nobel prize while you are at it.
@@nerdstrangler4804 Then why the hell is it suddenly becoming a big issue now? Why is it that my playstation 2 controller from 2003, my gamecube controller, my freaking n64 controller, both my Wii nunchucks, my Wii U game pad, and even my old xbone controller are all completely drift free (aside from a worn down spring in the ps2 one after almost 2 decades of use), while I've had 3 joy-cons start experiencing drift after around a year of use. A crap ton of people are having this exact same experience, where up until now if a controller stopped working, it was the person's fault, they either dropped it or spilled something on it or whatever. But starting with the switch and continuing with the xbox SX and PS5 controllers, now these controllers start drifting if you look at them wrong, while the controllers are more expensive than ever. If the same company is making components for the thumbsticks for all three companies, then something is going on here. Perhaps they are intentionally gimping the life of their components so they sell more, which companies get found out for all the time.
@@11cat123 I actually don't know who makes the joycon thumbstick, maybe its not alps which is why it sucks.
Or maybe it's because it is a radically new and different design.
But I am fairly confident nobody is intentionally gimping anything, because there is a much more obvious explanation... which is that engineering and manufacturing really tiny complex components is incredibly difficult.
I was wondering what that drift means, but as I excepted, it's that it moves by itself. Luckily I use older controllers and haven't got that issue, at least not yet.
nah fam it means u can hit sick angles in the corners in forza
I’ve just been plagued with Nintendo’s Joycon drift on the left analog. Weirdly, it’s fixed and broken with every other firmware update. I can’t take it anymore so I sent it in for repair. It was becoming so difficult that I couldn’t even play anything anymore.
Damn this is actually really informative, thanks for the vid
My young cousin had this problem his mom had a shock after takeing it to the shock they said sweets milkshake and dust was the problem he had the Xbox series for 3 weeks
Nice to see your face again! Also this video series is always great!
Only time I have ever experienced drift on any generation of video game controller was after throwing at the wall or directly into the ground and even then the controllers still worked. I don't have a switch, PS5 or the new Xbox so how are these brand new state of the art controllers already having problems?
There is no excuse for this. My oldest N64 controllers had joysticks that went 100% limp and still funtioned well enough for guests and younger siblings.
My ps5 is only 3 to 4 months old and my controller stick drift is absolutely awful. I’ve tried all the remedies on RUclips that some great people have suggested, but now it still does not work. I guess its time to claim it on the PlayStation web page. Thanks for this video.
Good video. Informative, helpful, and with just a dash of personal opinion.
im glad to, like, feel ok of getting all new video notifications now
Trim pots are just crap way to accurately measure resistance over time, they gradually(sometimes quickly) go bad. I've known this since back when I repaired PS3/X360 for a living (no longer). There needs to be a better way.
one of my controllers for my ps4 lasted 6 years of constant gaming drops and heavy use. It started to drift so i slammed it and it work. Every time it didn't work I'd slam it on my knee and it work just like normal.
I like your style
But that will only work until your knee gives out.
But why is it happening now? I have controllers from over 20 years ago that were heavily used and still work perfect to this day.
There's a pretty decent bandage for this problem on PC, which consoles should adopt. There are programs that let you adjust your deadzone. It's not a fix but could potentially extend the life for some for quite some time.
I sometime wonder if some "Drift" issues is on account the joystick get junk stuck in it? And Folks blam the issue on bad parts. I had a friend tell me their 2 Xbox Series X controller were drifting every now and again, and they were about to buy 2 new one. But I told them to clean them first, they did, and they haven't had an issue since.
still havent gotten control drift last gen or current, i always thought it was cuz people just treat their shit poorly
Yes! Iv always said this, only ever had 1 controller shift, and it was me who course it. My friend had 4 controllers shift on him. I've seen him play and the way he presses down in the stick make me mad, iv try to tell him, but he thinks it's sonys fault.
I bought a new ps4 controller and two weeks later I started experiencing drift, and now I have to blow on it every hour to fix it lol
Nope not at all
Although I’m sure the way people treat their controllers is a factor but sadly it’s all about luck
I literally exchanged my Elite Series II because a button was going out and drift and the brand new one had stick drift it was complete bullshit I just wasn’t going to drive back 70+(all together 140+) miles to exchange again
Treating a controller bad can be a factor but not the main reason for drift I'm always safe with my controllers but I also play games like siege and dead by daylight both require a lot of quick movements I had to get a new controller from my old one that had a small drift to a new one that had a drift after no less than 3 days... It's honestly dumb luck I ended up swapping out controllers 3 more times always treating them with care in the end my current lasted about a month before it started having a light drift.
I thought this was true but one of my ps5 controllers got stick drift after 2 weeks, and I treat my controllers like royalty
And ps2 controllers are working just as well as they are during their inception
A couple of my PS2 controllers drifted too. It's just a part of having an analog sticks. It'll always be a thing.
odd me and others i know have never had those issues with ps2 controllers and ive used mine since it came out
I finally could get a ps5. I got it on the 26th of June; the right joystick has started drifting...
Good informative video! Well done.
Had drift in my ps4 controller once, but it was after 3 years of use
Look who is back.
If one of the problems is wear and tear why not improve the parts to make them more durable?
I wonder when they finally swath to hall effect sensors. RC controllers have been using them for years.
A little drift is one thing, completely moving on its own and at a speed much worse than anything else on the joy-con drift is a whole other thing. I can still play my Xbox/PC with the little drift it has, but my switch is literally unplayable atm until I get BOTH of my joy-con sets fixed.
My brand new series x has it and I'm like wtf is this!!!! The last xbox I had was 360 and it never had this crap
I've had numerous ps4, xbox controllers and xbox elite 1 and 2 controllers end up drifting. The analog part with the track and wiper have been used for years and we still haven't found any new ways to resolve the issue. If its about money then to sony and Microsofts benefit its more beneficial to them if the average user just gives up and buys a new controller which sucks.
It's dumb that this is even an issue. All my old consoles never had this problem on the scale of my switch
Short answer: because nothing of quallity is being made anymore. Im happy with my working ps2 and n64 controllers thank u very much lol
Legendary controllers
Ur tripping if you never had a broken N64 control stick. Go look at how thin that plastic stem was. The OG of stick drift
Did you really use N64 controllers as an example of a quality controller?? I love my N64 but that specific controller was the worst offender for anything joystick related. Forget drift, the stick not even being centred physically was a common issue.
@@DipolarApathy i have the same controller I've had since I was a child. I take very good care of my things. Especially video game related things. I bought a switch lite and it started to drift THAT WEEK. i got my money back and said screw it cuz I see im not the only one suffering from this
@@cokaneds that's the point! They are apparently the "worst" with drift, yet in the year 2021, we have controllers drifting in 100 hrs of game use???? Thats insane!
So if these are the best/most used controller modules on the market, and they still are imperfect and the solution to drift is far from obvious, shouldn't a lawsuit actually have no standing since there isn't really any way to make a better controller right now? I could understand a warranty issue, but outside of that what are the controller manufacturers that get their components from third party suppliers supposed to do?
Go back to using controller modules that were used back when analog controllers weren't plagued with drifting issues? Clearly the current ones are not "the best". Almost guaranteed something was done to cut costs and it ended up making shit quality.
My PS5 controller started drifting not even a month after getting it
It's not unlike the massive airbag recall in cars; it all comes down to a single supplier that didn't make them well enough.
It's by design. I refuse to believe anything else because I never had these problems with ps1, 2 and 3. But 4 it started getting bad and 5 is just horrible.
It's the maccas ice cream problem basically
Its odd to me that controllers don't have a way to recalibrate 0
i have two dualsense and the one that im not using that much is drifting right now .is it possible that not using your controller will still drift ?
I must be one of the lucky ones then. I had two ps4 controllers with my ps4 and used them heavily for over two years, a few months now with the ps5 and two controllers as well, still no probs...
Why did this drop at 7:40 p.m. mountain time?
But why is it happening more than it use to
My switch joy con got drift within a few hundred hours. Had to buy an analog stick on amazon swap it. So far so gd.
Yeah my joy con sticks never last more than 6 months so I replaced the sticks then put them in storage and bought a hori pad pro.
@@paulbowen5578 But the hori pad pro has no wireless functionality.
Why cant they ever get it right even after being showed how to fix it?
Because they are not the stick manufacturers. The stick manufacturers are a seporate company. Of whom, already have better sticks but cost more. They've had them for a very long time now. The problem is the console companies just don't feel like paying for it anymore.
It all comes down to the type of material and coating they use on the track. It can allow the potentiometer to last more cycles. Next gen is definitely on the cheaper side as far as which stick models they went with.
@@Hadeks_Marow What is the model number of these better sticks and what coating do they use?
@@nerdstrangler4804 2nd hand information, sorry that I am only relaying what I've been told.
@@Hadeks_Marow Well I think he may be fibbing. I do not know of any better component, and they are already using a carbon resin which is the most wear resistant material I know of.
My question is why now? What about every other console before?
Getting sick of this shit. I’m fed up with these big corporations asking for more and more money for products that don’t work, and are prone to breaking. I’m about to say fuck gaming.
I have noticed a few months ago all my PS4 controls have a drifting issue but only sometimes
I bought my controller in january 2022 and the fucker is drifting up and down, so damn annoying bro
Look up Inside Games on YT. Just want to spread the word.
Not going anywhere, btw, I will continue to watch your content here for everyone I've grown to love and your unique takes and vids. ❤️💜❤️
That's real nice and all but why should I have to do maintenance or do tear downs and replace parts? The RREAL question is why do older controllers still work today. My original Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, & Dreamcast still work just fine. Maybe you should do a comparison video...my guess is CHEAP parts from GINA in order to save $$$.
I am curious why the issue seems worse than in previous generations. Are we noticing the issue more, or did older consoles use a different technology that is less susceptible?
Tbh, it's probably a combination of both.
I'd say a mixture of both as outside of third party really mostly unknown ones I haven't had drift issius and usually those even on the relatively unknown ones tended to not show up for a long time realitvly speaking compared to these new actually bland name ones
Meanwhile the potentiometers in my RC car transmitters have worked perfectly for over 12 years.