Xbox facing class-action lawsuit over Elite controller ‘drift’ issues

Nintendo lawsuit ported to new platform

You may remember that a class action lawsuit was filed against in Nintendo in 2019, pertaining to the “drifting” technical issues that were bothering a bevy of Switch owners. Well, it seems that Microsoft is next in the firing line, as a similar suit has been filed against its top console brand, Xbox.

The suit was filed in US District Court for the Western District of Washington by New York resident Donald McFadden. McFadden states that they purchased two of the pricey Xbox Elite Controllers that both exhibited signs of “drifting” – when analogue movements are detected by games despite the sticks themselves remaining stationary.

McFadden alleges that Microsoft is fully aware of the issue but “failed to disclose the defect and routinely refuses to repair the controllers without charge when the defect manifests.” The suit directs attention to similar complaints from Xbox users found online, as well as repair videos, services, and replacement parts available from third-party sellers.

Nintendo’s drifting lawsuit ended up in arbitration, following a judge’s refusal to outright dismiss the case. Nintendo itself no longer charges for drift repairs, though it maintains that the Switch Joy-Con is a high-quality, precision product. The results of the Xbox suit – short or long term – remain to be seen.

Now Xbox faces lawsuit over drifting controllers [VGC]