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A law firm is considering the possibility of a lawsuit.
The PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller is a genuine marvel of modern user interface… or at least that’s what my friends who have PS5s have told me. They, along with many others online, have sang the controller’s praises, from its comfortable grip and responsive buttons to its detailed haptic feedback. However, it seems that no matter how perfect a piece of tech seems, it’s always gotta have at least one fatal flaw.
Since the release of the PlayStation 5 in November, multiple reports have been cropping up on social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit that their DualSense joysticks have been drifting. If you weren’t paying attention to the whole Nintendo Joy-Con drift debacle before, stick drifting is when the controller registers input on its sticks even when they’re completely untouched. It’s a problem that can range from mildly frustrating to completely game-breaking based on how severe the drift is.
Some users have reported drift developing on brand new PS5 controllers, with one particular report claiming their sticks began drifting after just ten days of use. Currently, there is no known solution for DualSense drifting, as this particular user can attest to; they tried recharging the controller, power-cycling the console, resetting the Bluetooth, and more, but none of it worked.
A US law firm is now investigating a class-action lawsuit against Sony, alleging analog stick drift in the PS5 DualSense controller. https://t.co/BY7kTURXTG pic.twitter.com/1jXTTqvD1s
— IGN (@IGN) February 10, 2021
According to Kotaku writer Ari Notis, who personally contacted Sony support in search of answers, stick drift is covered under the console’s warranty, so if you send your controller to Sony, they will fix it for free, though shipping costs are unfortunately not covered.
US law firm Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith has expressed an interest in conducting a formal investigation into the issue and, if this investigation yields fruit, filing a lawsuit against Sony. Coincidentally (or perhaps not), this is the same law firm that managed a large portion of the cases against Nintendo for Joy-Con drift.
