It is the terror of any gamer: suffer Joy-Con drift or joystick drift to dry. This phenomenon, which became famous in the controls of the Nintendo Switch, is actually an endemic disease that affects any control that has a joystick. We explain what it is and how it can be fixed on the PS5.
Unfortunately, joystick drift is a common occurrence among major console manufacturers. As we said before, the case of Nintendo and its Nintendo Switch is, without a doubt, the bloodiest in the sector today.
And while it’s an unavoidable problem that affects all controllers, there are DIY solutions you can try that will hopefully solve the problem if you’re crafty enough.
Unfortunately, there’s no concrete way to know in advance if your controller will end up drifting, but there are steps you can take to try and prevent it.
Drifting is usually a hardware issue, but sometimes it’s the result of a firmware bug that can be fixed by updating your controller.
It’s possible that the problem will be completely eliminated with future improvements in controller design (it’s proven to be possible), but until that day comes, Sony’s solution may be very similar to Nintendo’s: keep replacing faulty controllers. until a new controller comes out.
Why does the drift occur in the controls?
One of the main reasons why the joystick moves inadvertently is that current knob designs allow dirt and dust to get in in the small space that connects the joystick and controller.
The DualSense joysticks have a small gap to allow for smooth movement and that gap is large enough that even the smallest dust particles can get into the joystick assembly.
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Unfortunately, this means that there is no guaranteed way to avoid the problem, unless the controller joysticks are never used. Although most people think that debris is the most common cause of drift, this is not necessarily the case.
iFixit investigated the phenomenon and found that the vast majority of drift problems originate from mechanical problems such as wearwhich naturally occur with the time of use of the controls.
The team has also detailed a possible permanent fix for the issue, giving gamers hope for a less expensive future (each controller costs a whopping €70).
How to fix joystick drift on your PS5 controller
The easiest way to avoid drift caused by a dirty joystick is to make sure your controller is in a dust-free location. It’s not an ideal solution, but it’s the least annoying (and more importantly, free) way to reduce your odds.
As for drift caused by joystick wear or damage, you can try to avoid it by being a little less aggressive while playing. We know it’s tempting to push hard on the joysticks, but that also causes them to wear out faster than normal.
If you don’t want to deal with the Sony warranty process, the last thing you can do is try to clean the joystick housing. Take a dry, lint-free cloth and start cleaning around the joystick joints.
Avoid using water or alcohol as they can damage the controller. If you have a can of compressed air handy, you can spray it around the lip between the joystick and the controller. to see if you can dislodge any trapped dust/dirt.
If all else fails, you may need to contact Sony to have it replaced. If you call the company, a customer service representative will tell you how to submit the remote for evaluation and later withdrawal.
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism