How Long Do Controllers Last For You?

I just had a catastrophic failure of my RB button on my Xbox One/Series controller. Tried using a PS4 controller wired on my PC didn't take me long to release the different layout was going to get me killed in Sekiro. I'm just not used to using a PS4 controller. Went through my broken Xbox One/Series controller found one that somewhat functional.

Xbox One/Series controller usually last me a year or less.

To make things worse I think their is another Xbox One/Series controller shortage. they're backed ordered on amazon until April May.

Back when I gamed on the PS3 I think I only had one fail on me. I'm guessing PS3 was my main platform from 2010 till 2015

Typically several years for me, probably at least 4 years I’d say. My Switch joycons got stick drift about 4 years in. My PS5 controller is over 1 year and a half old and still going fine. My XBX Series controller is almost a year old and still doing fine as well.

My issues with controllers are only the analog sticks, and it began with the ps4. And when i do have the issue, which i've had a shitton of analog problems with the dualsense, i open it up and repair it. Ain't spending another $100 each time i get the drift, which is what Sony wants you to do.

Yeah, it took 10 years for any of my PS3 controllers to give out, but my Dual Shock 4 started drifting after just 1. Might be bad luck, but I think they all have been using cheaper components in recent generations.

I do have a Switch Pro that is around 5 yr and still works fine. An 8-bitdo Ultimate too, but that's still a fairly new one.

I've replaced 1 360 controller, 1 XB1 controller, 0 Series controllers, 0 PS4, 3 PS3 controllers.

Didn't have a PS5 long enough

My PS4 Pro controller died/broke about 2 years after I bought it. My PS5 controller died/broke 2 years after buying it. Never had an Xbox controller die or break.

@Archangel3371: I wish controller would last me 4 years. Seems like it's always something different that breaks. The bumpers, stick drift. XYBA buttons. My hands are always clean so it isn't food. I must sometimes press the button with to much force. Should try quitting that habit.

I have literally never had an issue until switch/ps5/series x.

I've had failures on all three. Every other controller I've had from every other gen still works to this day.

I assume it's also hours of use. My controllers are pretty good overall. I assume that is because on average, I might have 2 hours of gaming a week. Like right now I am banging through Rebirth in two weeks. But it's possible that I could go a month or more after and not play.

@locus-solus: I don’t really do anything special either, my controllers get pretty heavy use too. The only thing on my controllers that ends up giving out is the analog sticks, the left one more specifically. That’s after 4+ years of heavy use. I kind of expect that though considering how much a lot of the games that I play utilize clicking it in and stuff. Can really wear it down.

Just depends how much I abused the damn controllers to death. I had an Xbox Elite controller for years using it exclusively on my gaming PC and while it's been great, it's been giving me drifts problems. So I replace it with a regular Xbox Series controller and been loving it.

My Switch joycons are still breathing for the past 7 years but most of the time, I just stick to the Switch gamepad controller.

PS4/PS5 controllers are still alive so no problems. Sony is known to have longest lasting controllers around.

got my ps5 just over three years ago. the x button has been sticking for a while and now the usb charging is hit and miss. need a new one really. three years is pretty typical

I've only had one controller break once, and it was because I swapped the shoulder button and trigger bindings for Nier: Automata. The poor button couldn't handle how often I mashed it. Otherwise, I rarely use controllers for games, so they tend to last a long time.

Keyboard and mouse is a different matter. They typically last 3-4 years, except my old Logitech G105 which lasted so long I lost count. Replaced that 3 years ago, and replaced that replacement this year. I don't care much about my keyboard, so I tend to go for the lowest-end model.

Mouse, on the other hand, I am very particular with. My current one is already starting to act up, and I don't have a ready replacement in mind. The closest is the G502 X, but even that isn't an exact match. Hope this thing lasts long enough for Logitech to come up with better models.

I think joycons and an N64 analog stick are the only things that ever failed on me. My friend broke one of my GameCube controllers, and that wasn't me using it so I don't know if it would have happened to me.

Other than that my controllers have lasted as long as I used them.

I think the only controller i had that outright failed was my Wiiu gamepad (of all the frickin controller to fail >:( ). The mainboard failed. Needed to send it to Nintendo for repair.

Other than that I have found them fairly bullet proof. The left stick on my joycon is starting to fail. I though it was properly borked but i think it saw my order for a replacement and sorted itslef out :P. Nah seriously it is working again for now but it probably is the beginning of the end.

My SN30Pro+ needs the battery pulled to turn it off when i use it with my PC. For some reason i can't turn it off using the start button. Firmware is fully up to date and all that. It's like it thinks i'm holding the start button when it briefly switches off then switches back on again immediately. I took it apart to see if there was something under the start membrane but the PCB was spotless. It works fine with the Switch though as the Switch send a shutdown command to controller when i Turn the console off.

Wired 360 controller, PS3 controller (though i hate using that), Wiimote and nunchuck.....all working like champs. Dualsense is grand so far too but that's also very new (bought late last year).

recommend 8bitdo ultimate, there's currently only the bluetooth one with switch button labels, but they are bringing out one without BT and xbox labels, cheaper than xbox controllers and they have hall sticks, 2 paddles and full customization on pc as well

First party controllers typically last 5 years and up. 3rd party ones usually get issues after a year.

Game cube controllers are 20 years old and still work. I think all my wii and ps3 controllers are in decent shape. 360 and ps2 not so much. DUALSHOCK 4 at 7 years old, still works. (Varying degrees of use and abuse)

My Duke would lose connection because I was a dumb dumb, and wrapped the cord around the controller. But I still have an og Xbox s controller that still works. The thumb sticks aren't as tight as I would like, but that seems to happen to all controllers.

All of my DS4 ones have been ruined by playing with them plugged in. It has killed the batteries, bent the USB port and the cable. Then the 'newer' controllers have a smaller connector on the battery, so I can't use the extra batteries I bought before.

All of my DS3 controllers are worn out, but still functioning.

My last XB controller needed to be replaced due to the bumpers too, I figured analog would go first as had been the case for years. Surprisingly, analogs were good, just one day bumper stopped working, I suspect a spring mechanism the raises rhe button up down either broke or lost its placement. I figure an easy thing to repair for someone who knows what they're doing. I kept it to see if one day I can fix it myself or take it to a shop that can do it for cheap. Still, lasted a couple years. I thankfully had a backup controller (the one I used for my Series S), ordered two more on sale for about ½ off each, so I have a backup next time.

Haven't had to replace any Switch or PS4/PS5 controllers, but I game on them far less. For me, 95%+ of my game time is on Xbox.

My 7th gen controllers never had issues, and that was the last gen the big three used quality potentiometers and analog modules. Controllers then died like when my roommates girlfriend spilled her latte on the controller it gummed up the buttons. Only issue I had with PS3 controllers was inconsistent SIXAXIS readings. Perhaps the only time I wore down my Xbox 360 analog was because of GTA IV's Lost And Damned DLC had an arm wrestling mini-game that was abusive to the analog sticks and after a while of that got my first controller drift ever. I never touched that mini-game again.

I really don’t understand what others do with their controllers. I still have my controller that came with my console. Use it everyday.

Usually a long time, though Sekiro did break my Elite controller, and my new pup chewed the analog of my last PS5 controller.

Still have Master System controller, which works.

I don't think any other controller other than the awful Switch joycons have broken down on me. So they usually last forever, or until they're so clogged with dust that they're unusable.

I get stick drift quicker on my Xbox controllers than my ps ones, mainly because I use ithe Xbox one for gameplay while your average ps game is cutscenes central.

Still using this one that I got at the start of last gen:

My Playstation controllers often have those really greasy rubber analogue sticks. Which sucks.

But from breaking controllers myself? Rarely happens.

Usually the whole generation. But I'm an highly skilled gamer with super precise fingers.

The only control I had issues with was the DS4.

Og xbox/PS2 never replaced a controller.

xbox 360/PS3 era replaced a 360 controller after heavy use 4 years, and even then still workable slight fight on stick drift.

PS4/xbone/switch, replaced PS4 controller for a nacom and got through 3 xbox controllers in 5 years, also replaced a set of joycons

Current gen, I've had an Elite randomly blow up on me just the analog stick went from fine to absolutely will not register a correct input regardless of cleaning etc.

General feeling is quality control has degraded as time has gone on.

Xbox One, only replaced the controller once cause the RB button broke off.

Xbox Series controller, my nephew got stick drift on a controller I bought about 2 years ago. Though he's rough with the controller on COD and puts the controller through heck. It really amazed me though I have bought like four Series controllers in the last 3 years. I don't know if the other three work though ain't buying anymore controllers.

PS4, my launch Dualshock controller got stick drift after about three years. Replaced it with other Dualshock controllers and the same thing.

PS5, haven't had any problems with my DualSense controller yet.

About 3 or 4 years I guess. And I play maybe 1½ hours per day on average. My old Xbox controller is not completely broken, but the A button occassionally malfunctions, so I acquired a new one.

I have a 12 and 7 year old fortnite players in the house.

about 8 months. been through 7 ps5 controllers since launch.

and 3 xbox series s controllers.

yeah I have 2 xbox controllers with broking rb buttons.

The last time that my controllers had to be fixed was during the Atari 5200 days in 1984 (40 years ago now! I just turned 49 years old two days ago). My father had to go to a Sears location so that he can get a replacement that arrived in the mail. It was not until many years latter that I learned that Atari 5200 controllers had a reputation for being easy to break as well designed by an engineer that never played a video game.

Another issue with my controllers had to do with the Switch's Joycons. Other than the notorious stick "drift," there were times I had to press the L and R buttons on the Joycons so to connect them.

My PS4 controller was tied for the worst. Its issue was with holding a charge. After about a year, it needed to be plugged in to stay on for more than a couple seconds.

Also tied for worst are my joy cons. They got stick drift after about a year. I have replaced them twice now. The pastels haven't got it yet, but my daughter fell on one and broke the stick. sigh........

Next was my Xbox One launch controller. The left stick has no resistance, but it lasted until just about 3 months ago, so I am happy with what I got out of it.

My original Xbox 360 controllers still work as do my nes controllers from the 80s.

The cheapest controllers have been the dualshock 4. The cheap rubber peeled off them and I've had to replace 3 controllers over the generation. In fairness two of them were replaced during my sons fortnite obsession that I'm convinced broke the left and right thumbs ticks from their spastic building mid fight.

I’m on my second controller for my XSX,very rare I have to buy a second controller for any of my consoles. I’m turning 50 after the summer and I’ve barely bought any extra things for any of my console’s,other than games.

Had some luck this gen still on my launch controllers for both consoles. Last gen I went through 3 on Xbox and 2 on PS4.

That makes sense, I believe they all use the same manufacturer partners.

My launch Dualsense has been working just fine, but I got a black one when they started adding colors and that one occasionally has some drift.

Thanks to Sony’s choice of materials the analog sticks on my PS3 got all messed up. It was like they melted or something.

Mine usually last a long time (the entire gen and still going strong) so I rarely buy a new controller for myself. In fact I couldn't tell you the last controller I bought, was probably back in the 90's lol.

No issues except for Dualsense for PS1, cats chewed off the thumbsticks. N64 and SNES controllers still work.

NES controllers were damn near indestructible. SNES ones were pretty close as well.

I had one gamecube controller break (no hard feelings, it's still the goat controller) and switch joycons twice (though Nintendo replaced for free, but still I'm upset just because I hate the damn things so much; puny little buttons and terrible form factor). Other than that my controllers seem to last forever. I have my original ps1 controllers and I'm still using them even now on my MiSTer which I recently got a PSX snac adapter for. Heck even my NES controllers work via SNAC on my MiSTer still.

PS3 controllers have less battery life, but still work and have enough juice when I use them as a blu ray player remote (I don't use a modern console as a blu ray player to save the wear and tear of a more expensive system's BD drive; obviously need to use my ps5 for 4K blu rays but my local library hardly has those)

In Norway we have 5 year warranty on our controllers, so I have never had to pay for a controller more than once. I have of course but second (and sometimes third) controllers for every PS I have owned though.

But there's a very fine difference between HAVING to swap controllers and WANTING to swap controllers. I.e. my original PS5 controller in white that I have used for thousands of hours is incredibly greasy and has been demoted to my secondary controller.

I wish controllers didn't get so greasy over time. Luckily my palms dont sweat and I never eat food while I game but it doesn't matter how well and clean you are they always lose their rough surface.

If I was rich I'd probably buy a controller every 1-3 months and toss out the old one lol. There's few things in life nicer than a brand new textured controller.

I had issues with the red buttons on the sides of my Atari 5200 controllers. I had to press them in REALLY hard to get the presses to register.