Xbox Series controllers are reportedly malfunctioning, Microsoft already on the case

This story about faulty Xbox controllers, boiled down, in 1:37 minutes.

What's the fuss?

Some gamers are having serious issues with the newest version of Xbox controllers. Microsoft is looking to fix these issues as soon as possible, likely to avoid the repercussions other gaming companies have faced in similar situations.

The situation

Controllers are suited with buttons, analog sticks, and triggers in order to allow players to achieve unimaginable feats in the games they play. You can imagine that when these buttons stop functioning properly, it becomes a problem.

Growing reports have surfaced that Xbox players are experiencing unresponsive buttons from their "Series X" controllers, the newest line of controllers from Microsoft. Gamers initially reported faultiness last November, however it seems that the outcry is now too large for the company to ignore. Luckily, Microsoft is in the midst of working on a fix, but a time frame has not been indicated for a solution.

Boiling it down

Controllers have evolved immensely since 1977's Atari 2600 console. Instead of a singular joystick and one button, modern controllers are fitted with two analog sticks, multiple buttons, triggers, D-pads, dual analog stocks, and even paddles. However, with more functionality means more problems.

The most pertinent problem with modern controllers is "stick drift": a controller defect where the analog sticks move slightly even when the user is not moving them physically, usually due to heavy usage. Such issues have afflicted major players such as Nintendo and Sony, and in turn have prompted major class action lawsuits against them. Microsoft was also sued for "stick drift" mid-last year, so their fast response time for these button malfunctions is likely to avoid a repeat legal struggle as well as to save face with gamers.

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