Microsoft extends Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 warranty as lawsuit looms

Microsoft has extended warranty coverage for all Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 units, with refunds promised to owners who previously paid out for repairs.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has extended its Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 warranty to one year, amid hardware issues impacting "a small percentage" of users.
• The extension replaces the former 90-day coverage included alongside the device and retroactively applies to all past controller purchases.
• It comes as Microsoft faces class-action lawsuit for "drifting joysticks," recently updated to include both generations of the Xbox Elite Controller.

Microsoft has outlined plans to extend its warranty for the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2, the company's premium gamepad, amid reports of issues among buyers. The amendment extends coverage to one year, effective immediately, over the previous 90-day window offered alongside the accessory.

The changes to retroactively apply to all previous Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 shipped since its November 2019 debut, in response to a "small percentage" of users encountering hardware issues. Microsoft also states payments made for repairs outside the previous warranty will be refunded by October 31, 2020.

Microsoft's original Xbox Elite Controller was notorious for long-term durability issues, with peeling grips, faulty bumpers, and stick drift among common issues voiced by buyers. The second-generation design undoubtedly reinforced its souped-up controller, but the former warranty neglected many returning troubles.

"We've received claims that a small percentage of our customers are experiencing mechanical issues when using their Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2," Microsoft stated via the Xbox Support website. "To ensure your satisfaction, we're extending the warranty coverage period on Elite Series 2 controllers from 90 days to 1 year from the date of purchase."

The extended warranty comes as Microsoft faces a class-action lawsuit for "drifting joysticks," with plaintiffs alleging a known hardware flaw saw controller thumbsticks develop unwanted movement over time. The lawsuit, first filed back in April, was recently updated to include both the Xbox Elite Controller and Xbox Elite Controller Series 2, providing a likely motive for the sudden change.

"Microsoft lures consumers into purchasing the Xbox controllers by touting the Xbox controllers as superior controllers that enhance gameplay, describing the Elite controllers as the 'world's most advanced controller' and emphasizing the Xbox one joysticks and buttons as possessing 'Ultimate Precision.'," the complaint states.

"Microsoft does not disclose to consumers that the Xbox controllers are defective, causing the joystick component to fail. Members of the general public have the right to know the latent defects with the Xbox controller components." The complaint also impacts other Xbox One controllers outside the Elite series.

The ongoing lawsuit seeks monetary compensation from Redmond, along with a public injunction, pushing the company to notify controller owners about the alleged defect.