Problems with the Xbox Series X controller button? You are not alone

Well, Nintendo and Sony have their floating joysticks, but Microsoft is currently facing its own set of controller problems for the Xbox Series X and S this generation, partly a carryover from the previous generation, and if you experience them, you’re not alone.

Microsoft has recognized an ongoing issue with unresponsive face buttons on the current Xbox controller:

“At Microsoft, we put all our products through rigorous quality testing and are committed to providing customers with an unparalleled gaming experience. We are aware that some players may not respond with their new Xbox Wireless Controllers and our teams are actively working on a fix. For the best experience, we encourage customers to turn to Xbox Support for help. “

At this point, there is no solution and you may be able to exchange it under warranty, but that process can be a bit tedious. For an example of what’s really going on, check out this video from Jake on YouTube showing what an unresponsive Y button looks like during testing:

Undoubtedly, an unresponsive face button is probably a worse general problem than joystick drift, the main problem with Sony’s PS5 controller, in moment-to-moment gameplay, although it’s not clear how widespread the button problems are. But when they strike, they hit hard:

Considering we’re talking about a four-month window since launch, that’s … pretty bad.

Microsoft, like Sony and Nintendo, has already faced a class action lawsuit for controller issues, but that used to be for joystick drift actually a lesser known problem with the Xbox controller, but occasionally all the same. But they no doubt don’t want to face any other button issues, which is why they will try to fix this in the short term.

This seems to be a pattern among modern controllers, and it’s easy to go through multiple controllers in a generation, not because of any kind of abuse, but normal wear and tear that causes problems with the joysticks, battery life, or now, the buttons. Even Microsoft’s expensive Elite controllers have had a similar problem in the past, so it’s not really a completely new problem.

Obviously, more work needs to be done to ensure the longevity of these controllers as more and more technology gets stuck in them as the generations go on. But the basics seem to be what’s not working, the joysticks and buttons, and there is currently no end to these problems for the major players. For Xbox: Stay tuned for possible solutions to this button issue in particular.

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