The Joy-Cons may drift, but I think the PS3 has the faultiest controller I've ever owned

[Archduke Kong]

I've experience Joy-Con drift in the past. The high price of the controller combined with the inevitability of it happening definitely annoys me, but today reminded me why the Dual Shock 3 is the most frustrating controller I've ever owned in my life.

So I've been prepping to sell my PS3 on eBay, and while testing the games out to make sure everything works, my Dualshock 3 went haywire. Basically, every now and then buttons will randomly press themselves. I'll press X and O will press instead, I'll hit L3 and every button on the right side of the controller will activate, etc. I can still use the controller to play the game, but this sort of thing happens every few minutes or so.

The thing is, this isn't the first time this has happened. I've had this exact issue with three other controllers over the years (granted one of those was a third party controller, but still). I think I've had one PS3 controller that this exact issue didn't happen to, but that's because that controller has a different problem where buttons just decide to not work period at random intervals.

Are the PS3's controllers notoriously faulty? Like, has this sort of thing happened to you guys? Or did I just get incredibly unlucky on five different occasions over a decade? Can you think of a faultier controller for a console?

 

[Deleted member 71]

I've never had a PS3 controller have the issues you described, but my L2 got stuck about a decade ago and it was hell to open it up and fix it.

 

[Liam Allen-Miller]

Hate to not be able to assuage your fears, but across four official controllers I've never had a fault like that. Sorry, OP. :(

 

[Pharaoh]

Only problem I remember having with the DS3 was the garbage, outdated design.

 

[ignata]

A few years ago I bought a used PS3 as I hadn't had one in a while and it took four trips back to the shop to exchange controllers, all first party, til one worked. One of them I remember just drifted right constantly. I probably had three different PS3s in my life, from launch to slim, and I remember pairing and charging were constant issues as well. I do hate rumble though so I appreciated the light weight original PS3 controller when it functioned properly.

 

[logan_cadfgs]

I remember the trigger springs launching themselves across the room every time I opened one up to fix lol

I was never too hard on mine but literally everyone else I knew with a PS3 had some kind of fault with their controllers. IIRC the most common issue was the left thumbstick twisting freely like a dial, so your thumb would slide off every time you tried to use it.

Granted, we were all shitty kids.

Anecdotally, the joycons are still more faulty inherently, since analog drifting is basically guaranteed to happen at some point due to the contact pad design, regardless of how gentle you are. :'(

 

[nbnt]

Had like four controllers back then and only one got messed up for some reason (probably because I dropped it) but other than that, nothing really.

Now 360 controllers, those were the ones. Literally every one I used got the drift during that gen.

 

[Deleted member 1003]

Hmm, I've had none of the issue you described. In fact, throughout my entire history of PS controller, I've nary had an issue. Sorry OP.

 

[Hybrid Rainbow]

Never had an issue like that. Joycons have been an absolute nightmare and I'm still waiting on mine to come back from Nintendo.

 

[nsilvias]

With old controllers you have to clean or replace the rubber pads inside every once in a while so they function properly op. They were out or get sticky with time

 

[MercuryLS]

I've never experienced anything like that before on PS3, could there be something wrong with your consoles USB port or Bluetooth?

 

[Stopdoor]

I just found out this is indeed common with PS3 controllers after I've had my second controller go with the same problems you've described. Just search "PS3 random buttons fix" or something on YouTube and you can find tutorials to replace the foam pads inside the controller apparently so the connection works better.

Seems astonishingly faulty to me, never heard of another controller having this problem specifically, but apparently it's not too hard to fix.

 

[Shadow]

I've got 2 PS3 controllers that are perfectly fine. One was barely used, but the other was used a couple hundred hours and is fine other than some natural wear. Joycons though are laughable, every single one has failed out of 10+ with drifting.

 

[Faenix1]

Outside a battery swelling due to seemingly lack of use, I've never had one of my DS3s have any kind of problem until the last couple years when one started drifting. The other one has major battery charge problems, but I gamed like I junky so I'm sure these are "my fault" and I can't argue with that. lol. lol

 

[AwShucks]

I have a six axis and a dual shock 3 and both have worked perfectly the entire time I've had them

 

[Stopdoor]

Here's a video to prove you're not crazy OP, this guy claims it's inevitable for most PS3 controllers. I assume most people in here haven't touched one for years.

 

[Hu3]

Lol no.. never had a sixaxis fail on me. The joycons on the other hand Jesus Christ what a trash product.

 

[neptunez]

DS3's had terrible thumbstick quality

 

[blame space]

i have six sony dual shock 3s and four sony sixaxis controllers and they actually work better today than when i bought them

thank you sony

 

[Dr Pears]

Had 3 dualshock 3s and 1 sixaxis. Never had any issues.

Joycons however drifted and sl/sr stopped working on both controllers after 9 months. Sent them for repairs and drift started again after 1 month. Fuck them joycons.

 

[Deleted member 7948]

It is an inevitable problem as a foam inside the controller will harden over time and lose contact. There is an easy fix for it though.

However, I can't find anyway to fix my motion sensor, so games like Folklore and No More Heroes are unplayable for me.

 

[headspawn]

Still have my original rumble PS3 controller, played the living shit out of that console, never had issues with it functionally... Switch? I barely played it and babied that console and got stick drift.

 

[Kainazzo]

I only ever had a SIXAXIS, never a Dualshock 3. Used it for 10+ years without any wear or issues. Aside from rumble, was there a meaningful difference? Different parts or build quality?

 

[Kupo Kupopo]

The thing is, this isn't the first time this has happened. I've had this exact issue with three other controllers over the years (granted one of those was a third party controller, but still). I think I've had one PS3 controller that this exact issue didn't happen to, but that's because that controller has a different problem where buttons just decide to not work period at random intervals.

Click to shrink...

'but still'? you're specifically complaining about ps3 controllers. what does a third-party controller have to do with anything? other than maybe suggesting that it's something you yourself are doing to the controllers, & that it doesn't really matter who makes them...

 

[Hope]

"May drift" sounds like it isnt a widespread problem. Mine started drifting after having it for some weeks. Dont like the dual shock 3 at all but for that price joy cons are the worst. It should be a 30 buck product for that quality, it shouldn't be 70.

 

[Deleted member 29691]

Where and when did you buy them? For the several years, authentic ds3's have been very hard to find. The market is FLOODED with fakes that experience all of the issues you are describing.

Also what kinda ps3 you sellin? BC ps2 playin phat boy by any chance?

 

[leng jai]

The DS3 was just an terrible controller, always was.

 

[Djalminha]

Awful controller, can't believe it was actually a revision of the Sixaxis, they pretty much just had to make a wireless version of the DS2. The three controllers I had broke, some pretty soon, until I decided that wouldn't become a retro console on my collection.

 

[bakedpony]

I know that issue OP, I had 2 DS3's with that. I think pressing L3 triggers it or if you press any of the buttons too hard. Random inputs would happen. I would usually smack it with my palm to make it stop lol

 

[foolishoptimist]

I still have 4 DS3s and 2 Sixaxis controllers, all at least 10yo, all still work fine.

Never heard of any of the issues you're describing, whereas Joy-Con Drift is widely known about, and I personally experience it regularly.

 

[Theswweet]

I'll pipe in and say I've had exactly the issue that the OP is describing - with an official controller that came with my slim, even.

 

[AllMight1]

nope, dualshock 3 have been sturdy as hell in my experience and owning many of them.
Dualshock 4 tho, they may start drifting from week 2 or month 1. I hate em.

 

[CadobaDelta]

I chewed through four DualShock 3s and two third-party controllers over the course of two years. Every single controller would, within a week of first being used, develop severe drift issues. It made just about every game virtually unplayable. At this point, I suspect the console of being the problem, but that whole saga was infuriating.

 

[Spine Crawler]

yeah everytime I play PS3 games this shit happens.

 

[Mxlegend99]

Aside from battery in controllers turning to shit. I cant remember one issue ive had where it wasn't through mine or my kids fault.

 

[Deleted member 31092]

My PS3 controller shat itself too. R3 died after 1 years.

Also it was genuinely one of the worst ergonomics ever.

 

[Thera]

I don't think I experienced it.
But I had 5 PS4 controllers because 4 of them had different problems (drift, shoulder buttons, ...).

 

[DoktorAkcel]

Bought 2 controllers with precisely that issue, which was an easy fix.

But still, who at Sony though the brittle foam is the best way to keep pressure on contact pad?

 

[Richter1887]

Only issues I had with the DS3 is the loose sticks and the triggers being bad. Though both I got used to.

 

[dose]

Here's a video to prove you're not crazy OP, this guy claims it's inevitable for most PS3 controllers. I assume most people in here haven't touched one for years.

Click to shrink...

I have 4 PS3 controllers (one is a sixaxis), still regularly use them and I've never had any issues as described by the OP.

 

[KainXVIII]

Never had this issue (yet?) with my DS3 from PS3 Slim (bought in 2010), still working and will be playing Sly 1 HD soon 🤞

 

[Jon God]

OEM DualShock 3s have been pretty hefty to me.

I've had multiple PS3s in my house since 2006. All my SIXAXIS controllers were terrible. Drift, creaking case. ehhh..

As for the DS3s, one of them broke when falling off a table, but otherwise, they all still work this many years later, with 1000s of hours of playtime on them.

I've put a combined total of about 20-40 hours on my Switch, and totally babied it, and one of my Joycons is not staying connected to the system anymore. It clicks into place, but then will just slide back out. :(

 

[Snake Eater]

Never had an issue with my PS3 controller, and I had the OG fat console

Also, I don't see how anything could be worse than drift on the controller

 

[Encephalon]

What timing. This literally just happened to me and my controller turned my console off.

Glad to hear the fix is easy. Will have to try that!

 

[killuglypop]

I only ever use a joystick for PS3 these days but I recall the DS3 rubber thumbsticks turning to goo rendering the pad unusable

 

[Bowl0l]

The only problematic DS3 I have is the red DS3 that is included with God Of War. My other three DS3 is still fine.
Meanwhile, I have two faulty DS4. One broken D-Pad. Another one, faulty usb port. I can buy two DS4 and still have change compared to buying one Joycon.

 

[Dizzy Ukulele]

Three DualShock 4 controllers broke on me (Sony replaced them all). That's a grand total of three broken controllers throughout my time gaming and I owned a PS3 from launch. I'd therefore put the DS4 down as the worst but I don't have much faith in my current DualSense being my last....

 

[ghostcrew]

Other than batteries shitting the bed and barely charging anymore, I've never had any mechanical issues with my DualShocks.

 

[BrunOz]

I had 4 Dualshock 3 for 7 years with 0 issues.

Each side of my Switch joycons got a particular issue within 3 months of use.
And I refuse to buy another pair, it's ridiculous for how pricey they are in my country.

 

[TheBaldwin]

Had a blue DualShock since like 2010. Still works fine. Sorry OP