Microsoft is extending the warranty of the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, the premium controller it debuted last year, according to a support document spotted by Windows Central. Before, the controller's warranty period was only 90 days, but it's now being extended to a year, which covers the entire period since the controller launched in November of last year. The change is also retroactive, meaning if you paid for a repair before, you'll be refunded by October 31.
Microsoft says this is because a "small percentage" of customers have experienced mechanical issues with the controller, which is understandably frustrating in a controller that cost $179.99. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 became the subject of a class-action lawsuit due to issue with "drifting" joysticks, where the analog sticks register input even when users don't touch them. The lawsuit had been going on for longer, targeting various other Xbox controllers.
Notably, Microsoft isn't the only company under fire for similar issues. Nintendo is facing a similar class-action lawsuit against its Joy-Con controllers for the same reason. In response, the company began repairing Joy-Con for free, even outside the warranty period, if any issues came about with the analog sticks, which the company still seems to be doing based on our experiences.
The lawsuit against Microsoft states that the problems derive from an issue with the potentiometer in the joystick mechanism. With the changes to the warranty policy, Microsoft may be able to clear itself of charges related to the lawsuit, though it remains to be seen if newer versions of the controller have had the root cause fixed.
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