Few things about the PlayStation 5 are better than the DualSense controller. It is wonderful to hold it, somehow as solid as it is light. Haptics are truly dynamic, at least for games This one offer such Support, support. It’s beautiful. But even the powerful DualSense is not immune to the Achilles heel of modern video game controls: drift.
When you think of the drift of control, your mind probably turns to the Nintendo Switch. Almost immediately after the hybrid console launched in 2017, unlucky players got to know the dreaded term “Joy-Con drift”. In other words, thumbsticks usually malfunctioned by sending false inputs to the console, even when players did not touch them. In 2019, Nintendo recognized the problem in a comment for Kotakuand announced a new policy that offered affected owners free repairs and refunds for previous repairs. Last year, the president of Nintendo formally apologized for the entire disaster (but didn’t say a word about that collective action process)
Now PS5 owners are reporting similar issues with DualSense.
Since the launch of the PS5 last November, players have accessed social media to to share stories on Drift DualSense. A user reported the problem 10 days after receiving the PS5, stating that they tried all possible solutions – turning the console off and on, turning Bluetooth on and off, restarting the controller and finally charging it fully overnight – to no avail.
Other uploaded a video for Reddit that seems to show some serious deviation from the controller. In the 15-second clip, you can clearly see the player’s fingers outside the thumbsticks while playing Destiny 2. Plus, the player’s weapon – an elegant weapon that bears a strong resemblance to Lonesome, a legendary weapon with an incredible rate of fire and some serious blows – wanders the screen on its own. Yes, Beyond the lightEurope offers stunning views, but it is best to enjoy them when you are really in control.
At the moment, your options for repairing a broken DualSense are minimal. You can access the Sony PlayStation support page, which has a dedicated portal for problems with PS5 hardware, including the DualSense controller. Just keep in mind that the PlayStation support team is mired in responding to requests about the PS5, which is still almost impossible to find.
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When I tried to contact support, I was instructed to contact a customer service agent via the contact page for PlayStation support. In an instant messaging conversation, an agent told me to call 1-800-345-7669 and press 1 for PS5. I did that and then listened, without a joke, to a dozen different pre-recorded messages stating that PlayStation support is no the place to ask about finding a PS5. I was then kicked to hold. On the positive side, Gustavo Santaolalla’s soundtrack delightfully vibrant The last of us theme. On the other hand, I had to listen to him for 17 minutes. As always, PlayStation support remains a Byzantine maze of conflicting emotions.
Once I finally managed to speak to someone, I was told that the DualSense diversion is covered by the warranty. However, you will have to pay for shipping your controller to a Sony repair center – a cost that varies based on many factors, including location and total weight of the package – but Sony apparently covers return shipping. No recovery on what you pay for the first shipping label.
Theoretically, the ability to adjust a controller’s dead zone to a system level could offer an ointment, at least in a kind of band-aid on a gunshot wound. The latest DualSense update, 0210, did not include this support. Not the latest PS5 firmware update. It is unclear whether future PS5 updates will add that support.
Kotaku contacted Sony for comment, but so far there has been no response.
The PlayStation 5 was launched less than three months ago. No one knows whether “DualSense drift” will become the next “Joy-Con drift” or not – snatching everything from a wave of customer uproar to a years-long executive apology – or whether it will end. At the very least, I hope this problem will be resolved before a vampire law firm smells blood and begins yet another collective action process.