PS5 Controller ‘Built To Last Only 417 Hours’
The PlayStation 5 next-generation console may not yet be able to support the likes of The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, however, it would hardly matter as, by the time you complete both games, your controller would be kerplunk.
Should you soon be able to slay your way through a horde of Falmers in Mzinchaleft, or conjure up a magical fiery enchantment to bewitch a Frost Talus, on a next-generation console any time soon, you may need to stock up on controllers.
The two games combined add up to a rough estimate of 420 playing hours, which, according to YouTube sensations "iFixit", is longer than the lifeline of the PS5's high-tech DualSense controllers.
After the release of the PS5, some concerns over the controller quickly surfaced, with many players disgruntled by experiencing "drift" - the sensation of your controllers' analogue sticks drifting across the screen without being touched. The video released by iFixit showcases how the typical components of the DualShock Controller, and that most of the hardware result in the controller lasting 417 hours before it begins to degrade in performance.
Whilst 417 hours doesn't seem too short, that actually amounts to just 17 days straight of playing time. For the casual gamer who may dive into a two-hour session per day, you may only get seven months out of it before it begins to deteriorate. For a hardcore gamer or streamer who jumps on for eight hours a day, you'll be splashing out on a £50 (~$70) controller every 52 days, or seven of them per year.
iFixit's calculations also only factor in for functional gaming styles. For those who play with more convolute styles, for example, slide cancelling on Call of Duty or speed editing on Fortnite, the sticks may degrees quicker.
There are multiple ways to fix drifting, although a tidy pair of hands is necessary, and possibly a soldering iron depending on the severity. Still, it seems like an unnecessary problem to have for such an advanced controller.
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