PS5 DualSense controllers reportedly have stick drifting issue — people aren't happy

Dualsense
(Image credit: Geoff Keighley)

Reports of drifting issues on the popular PS5 DualSense controller have been rising, causing big concerns on how the issue can be fixed. Is this the beginning of another Nintendo Switch 'Joy-Con drift' fiasco? Yikes.

As seen on multiple Reddit posts over the last couple of months, one user stated they experienced drift "less then 10 days" after purchase. Meanwhile, another user demonstrated the drift issue while playing Immortals Fenyx Rising, along with a user playing Destiny 2 experiencing the same. The camera just keeps spinning. 

Some have tried fixing the problem, including turning on and off Bluetooth, resetting the DualSense and charging it overnight, although nothing has reportedly fixed the issue yet.

Those experiencing the issue can head to PlayStation's hardware support page. However, it may take some time to actually get through to support (if you've experienced PlayStation support, you'll already know this). According to Kotaku's experience, there's a lot of hoops to jump through, and users will have to pay for shipping if they send their controller to a repair centre.

Nintendo has a number of lawsuits filed against them due to controller drift issues, usually due to malfunctions experienced within a month. While no word of a lawsuit concerning the DualSense has been seen, having drifting issues this early on in the PS5's life cycle is never a good sign.

That being said, there's always a problem with mass-produced devices that might only affect a small amount of people. If you're unfortunate enough to experience drifting though, head to the PlayStation support page.

It's a shame, as the PS5 DualSense controller has been praised thanks to its futuristic haptic feedback and overall design. The Xbox Series X controller is looking a tad more enticing, especially thanks to a hidden feature that makes it an amazing controller for multiple devices .

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.