this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2024
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It happens because from normal use the potentiometer inside the joystick wears out. Usually you can buy joystick assemblies for a 1/10 of the price of a controller, so if you can solder its very affordable to repair them.
If you dont want to solder, you can extend their life by applying a bit of contact spray to the potmeters inside after disassembling the controller. But that can corrode other components, so be careful with it. Still beats just throwing them out.
Hall-Effect is supreme,
But we've been using potentiometers for controller joysticks for 25 years now... and yet it's only been a huge issue lately.
What do you mean lately? I personally repaired a drifting xbox360 controller, and that console was released almost 20 years ago. I assume the controller was just a few years younger than that. I think eventually all potentiometers develop this issue.
How come nintendo switch (with replaceable controllers), has major stick drift issues, causing owners to buy several controllers over the life of the console, while nintendo switch lite (without replaceable controllers) seems to have more reliable sticks? Does nintendo manufactures the replaceable sticks with just enough tolerance to last barely outside the warranty period so their customers would buy more?
Why does the Geo Metro exist when everyone could just drive Ferraris?
If controllers arent replaceable, you're going to make them more durable, which raises price.
It's a trade off
But Nintendo switch lite is the cheaper device here?
With non replaceable controller...
Like, there's lots of different components. The cheaper overall may have better parts in a few specific areas, because if it breaks, the whole thing is broken.