DualSense controller is now suffering from drift, according to reports


Just months after the Nintendo Switch launched, owners began complaining about a novel phenomenon that was happening when playing games. When standing still, their characters or cursor would slowly move to the side, and no amount of recalibrating would fix the issue.

This was eventually named Joy-Con drift - an issue that affected so many Nintendo Switch consoles that Nintendo is now offering free repairs for any drift issues, alongside facing multiple class-action lawsuits over the problem.

Not wanting to be outdone by the Nintendo Switch, it now appears that the PS5's DualSense controller is suffering from similar drift. Here's the rundown:

Drift hits the PS5 controller

As reported by Kotaku, there has been a gradual increase in the number of PS5 owners reporting drift problems. Users have taken to various gaming forums such as Reddit, GameFAQs and AVForums to vent their frustrations at drifting DualSense sticks. According to an unofficial poll of 54 people on GameFAQs, over 1/4 players have suffered from DualSense drift.

One user uploaded footage of themselves playing Destiny 2 on their PlayStation 5, only for the stick to drift to the side when they were not touching it.

It's also worth noting that we have recently seen players reporting that they were suffering from DualSense drift when playing Destruction AllStars - Sony Interactive Entertainment/Lucid Games' new title available on PS Plus. However, this is more likely to be a feature of Destruction AllStars' car destruction mechanics, in which when a car is damaged and a tire is popped, the car will naturally swerve to one side.

READ MORE: DualSense Back Buttons: Sony files patent for PS5 controller attachment

How to fix DualSense drift

When you first search the internet for fixes and solutions to controlled drift, you will often be met with a trove of guides telling you to deconstruct your controller or use compressed air. In our experience, these methods may work but are only temporary solutions, or could do more harm in the long run (such as voiding your warranty).

Instead, much like with the Joy-Cons, the best way to get your controller fixed is to send it back to the manufacturer - in this case, Sony. As reported by Kotaku, while this process may be tedious, a customer service representative confirmed controller drift is covered by warranty. All PS5 owners need to do is to pay for shipping to the repair centre.

We'd recommend checking out the PlayStation support page here, which will take you through some brief questions about your DualSense controller before eventually giving you a phone number to call and reference number.

READ MORE: PS5 Power Consumption: How does the PS5 fare against other devices?

For more articles like this, take a look at our Nintendo and PlayStation page.