DS4 thumb sticks might have a problem?

Well, I had my DS4 (the one I got with my PS4 at launch) replaced yesterday. It was fine until I started playing Trials (a game that naturally causes a lot of friction on the left stick), and then it started deteriorating FAST. Small pieces of rubber would come loose here and there, and after a while one side of the "ring" was ground down to the plastic.

The guy at the retailer where I bought my PS4 (Webhallen, for any Swedes in here) was fully aware of the issue, and exchanged the controller for a new one with no questions asked. So I'm happy. Until I have to get it replaced again, I guess.
 
Lukas Japonicus said:
The left stick on my DS4 started to peel after a week, but only recently started to tear, so i bought these X1 replacement sticks-

6reBXBY.jpg


They work really well. Concave design with the DS4's stick resistance. Perfect.
Click to expand...

Wow...that looks great. Gives me something to think about...just a project even.
 
dan2026 said:
Has Sony issued a response to this problem?

Sounds like they need to replace their sticks.
Click to expand...

I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
 
Daggerborn13 said:
I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
Click to expand...

False stop defending this garbage.

Launch controller and one I bought few weeks ago have different feel to plastic.

Why does my DS3 that came with my launch PS3 still look fine?
Why do they replace for free if you call Sony?
Controller should be okay if you play all day and night.
 
Daggerborn13 said:
I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
Click to expand...

I take extremely good care of my things, and my sticks started to smooth away very quickly after i bought my PS4 and the rubber underneath the coating that wore away started to tear around a month ago. It's nothing to do with abuse, it's just bad quality materials. Obviously not everyone has had the issue, which leads you to believe it was just a bad batch or something.

Even if people were pretty heavy handed with their controllers, this shouldn't be happening. The DS3 and the 360 sticks lasted for years without any problems (the little pimples on the 360 controller would wear down eventually, but nothing like what's happening with the DS4).
 
Lukas Japonicus said:
The left stick on my DS4 started to peel after a week, but only recently started to tear, so i bought these X1 replacement sticks-

6reBXBY.jpg


They work really well. Concave design with the DS4's stick resistance. Perfect.
Click to expand...

Is it hard to replace them? And where do you buy it? Im in Europe btw
 
Daggerborn13 said:
I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
Click to expand...

This is flat out wrong. I don't abuse my controllers. I put hardly any pressure on the sticks when playing, and I don't use my fingernails. The same probably goes for the majority of everyone else that has had the issue.
 
Daggerborn13 said:
I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
Click to expand...

Never had any issue with several generations of xbox or PS controllers. Both DS4 sticks have peeling issue.

Not a usage issue.
 
Daggerborn13 said:
I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
Click to expand...

No way Junior.

Im a (retro)game collector and take care of my products. I have a black and a blue DS4, both of them have problems with the left stick.
US5CIgt.jpg
 
Had launch PS4 and put quite a few hours into it with Platinums on inFAMOUS & Wolfenstein plus Shadow Fall multipayer...

Well my left stick is starting to break down. I don't notice it while playing and can only tell if I look at it. Guess that says something?
 
The nail in the coffin for Sony's QC is the fact that the issue surfaced so quickly. I would consider it more reasonable if the thumb sticks were falling apart after 6 months or so. Not 1-2 weeks. Even with intense usage it just shouldn't happen.

I don't own a PS4 yet so haven't tested the issue myself. However, all the controllers for the PS4 demo units I have seen in malls and gaming shops have been FUBAR. Never seen that for PS3, Wii, X360.
 
ironcreed said:
So has this been fixed with newer models or not?
Click to expand...

There are controllers in the marketplace now that have different rubber and show no signs of wear. It's less clear whether the old ones are still out there in significant numbers. I got my PS4 in December and my controller is fine, so the "new" models have been out there for a while.
 
Daggerborn13 said:
I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
Click to expand...

I could understand this line of reasoning if this did not happen to people who actually take care of their controllers. Additionally, most, if not all, of the messed up sticks I have seen break in the same way: the bottom left quarter of the left analog stick develops a tear. Highly unlikely that people's treatment of the controller would result in the exact same wear on the controller.
 
Just started having trouble with mine (left stick has a sort of 'chip' that is peeling), but I ordered some thumbstick covers which should keep me good.
 
They have crappy joystick rubber, that's not debatable. I had to exchange my first DS4 controller recently because of issues I detailed earlier in the topic , and the new replacement one is already starting to peel, which is even more frustrating, since I was hoping a second batch of controllers would have this quirk ironed out.

Also, I work a game testing job , and pretty much all the PS4 controllers I've seen on the company floor have damaged joysticks, so it's definitively more widespread that some might be led to believe. Basically, anyone that plays their PS4 extensively will end up developing these issues after a while... Which is imho unacceptable. My PS3 controller still has rubber on it after ten years of loyal services, same with my DS2 and DS1 controllers. Yet my PS4 controller lasted two months before developing the first symptoms of controller defects.
 
Stealth_Cobra said:
They have crappy joystick rubber, that's not debatable. I had to exchange my first DS4 controller recently because of issues I detailed earlier in the topic , and the new replacement one is already starting to peel, which is even more frustrating, since I was hoping a second batch of controllers would have this quirk ironed out.

Also, I work a game testing job , and pretty much all the PS4 controllers I've seen on the company floor have damaged joysticks, so it's definitively more widespread that some might be led to believe. Basically, anyone that plays their PS4 extensively will end up developing these issues after a while... Which is imho unacceptable. My PS3 controller still has rubber on it after ten years of loyal services, same with my DS2 and DS1 controllers. Yet my PS4 controller lasted two months before developing the first symptoms of controller defects.
Click to expand...

The first bolded statement is meaningless weasel wording and the second is not something that can be proven. Of course it would be unacceptable if every controller was defective. There just isn't any evidence that that is the case.

There are people who continue to blame the users for this issue and they are obviously wrong. Of course there is a significant number of controllers affected by this.

Then there are others who claim it's going to happen to everyone eventually, and they are probably wrong as well. If I'm certain of anything it's that there are at least two different rubbers being used on these controllers. My controller still looks and feels the same as the day I opened it. I have zero reason to believe that it is going to disintegrate over time.
 
Lukas Japonicus said:
Numerous people have said that their new DS4's have sticks that feel harder and less "gummy" than the originals. So i assume Sony revised them.
Click to expand...

This is definitely the case for me as well. My launch DS4 never got to peeling but the sticks had a softer texture that the new DS4 that I got.
 
dan2026 said:
Has Sony issued a response to this problem?

Sounds like they need to replace their sticks.
Click to expand...

They have updated the rubber on sticks on the DS4.

Im sure there are some of the old ones floating around still. But if you had a launch controller, and you get one of the new ones, you will definitely notice the difference.
 
Lukas Japonicus said:
Numerous people have said that their new DS4's have sticks that feel harder and less "gummy" than the originals.
Click to expand...
Yeah, they're Xbox One sticks.. lol.

Seriously, though, that was the best thing I did for my DS4. Even if your sticks are fine, I'd still recommend putting in XBO sticks, they just feel that much better.
 
is there any specific knowledge on a certain batch that's thumbsticks are proven to be more durable then launch DS4s? I have two controllers and my launch ones thumbstick has gotten a slit in it. I game like 15-20 hours a week with work and all. I never use my extra controller but recently started using it because my main DS4's left thumbstick is starting to show wear an tear. I have noticed that my extra DS4's analogs feel a bit harder and less gummy then my original but that could be because I never use it so it still has that brand new feel. I honestly don't want to have to buy analog tabs just to be able to game without my DS4 sticks breaking down. I wish they would just hold up because I like the way the original analogs feel. I looked at the back of both my controllers and all the model numbers are the same and it was made in China. To the guys that's saying it must be abuse causing the analogs to peel and rip please stop saying that. I barely game and when I do I am very easy on this sticks, I don't use any excessive force what so ever and never had a issue with anyone of my previous consoles controllers or my electronics for that matter. I am a very anal person when it comes to my stuff and I know how to take care of it.
 
Jedi2016 said:
Yeah, they're Xbox One sticks.. lol.

Seriously, though, that was the best thing I did for my DS4. Even if your sticks are fine, I'd still recommend putting in XBO sticks, they just feel that much better.
Click to expand...
I have a different problem with the XBO sticks in that the ribbed material that runs around the circumference of the stick is quite rough. It's going to destroy my thumbs playing NHL during the face-offs. Better than shredding the original DS4 ones though I guess..
 
dan2026 said:
Has Sony issued a response to this problem?

Sounds like they need to replace their sticks.
Click to expand...

Sony have officially acknowledged the issue and will repair the DS4 free of charge if it's still under warranty. You still have to pay for shipping to their repair center though and it takes up to three weeks apparently which sucks if you're sending them your only DS4.
 
Boss★Moogle;119324048 said:
Sony have officially acknowledged the issue and will repair the DS4 free of charge if it's still under warranty. You still have to pay for shipping to their repair center though and it takes up to three weeks apparently which sucks if you're sending them your only DS4.
Click to expand...

if I contact them will they atleast ship me a box and direction on how to go about the repair process?
 
I have had my PS4 since launch, and I noticed the analogy sticks started to wear quite quickly. I purchased some grips soon after to combat the issue, and they are doing the job so far.
 
EASTC0AST_GH05T said:
if I contact them will they atleast ship me a box and direction on how to go about the repair process?
Click to expand...

i would still suggest fixing the problem yourself by ordering a bunch on replacement sticks. Sony will only replace the stick and not the entire controller. you'll might get the same inferior rubber when they send it back, resulting in another 2-3 week wait and possible shipping costs later on down the line.
 
Daggerborn13 said:
I'm not denying there may be a problem, but I find it hard to believe these issues are due to anything other than abuse. I get the feeling that the affected users put too much pressure on the sticks, or otherwise abuse them somehow. Some of the "natural" rips, and tears that I see look fingernail shaped, like somebody dug their thumbnail into them. I worked at Razer for a short time and people called like crazy about this on the 360 pad. I think a lot of gamers forget that games aren't meant to be played for 8 hours at a time or more. It's possible they weren't tested, or even meant to sustain repeated use for that amount of time.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Just like all those playstation 2 disc read errors or all those Xbox 360 red rings. All abuse.
 
Eight or so months later and I still think they should go back to the tried and true convex analog. It worked fine for three generations.
 
Not entirely on topic, but R2 on my new DS4 has already started squeaking, after just a couple of days. My old controller (which I got replaced for the stick issue) did the same thing. Guess it doesn't really affect any functionality, but it sure is annoying. I really like the DS4, but the build quality seems to be shit in general. I'm only waiting for the rubber to start pealing off the new one...
 
My launch DS4 has been great! The sticks are starting to get normal wear on them. The right trigger does squeak a bit too. Overall, happy it isn't tearing like what I see here. If it does I won't be happy, but then it would give me an excuse to get a red controller....
 
Xander Crews said:
The shape was not the problem.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about that. The wear on the DS4 happens on the ridges of the analog. Those ridges don't exist on the DS3. On a DS3 that wear gets spread over a larger area, rather than just the lower left portion of the left analog.
 
RoadHazard said:
Not entirely on topic, but R2 on my new DS4 has already started squeaking, after just a couple of days. My old controller (which I got replaced for the stick issue) did the same thing. Guess it doesn't really affect any functionality, but it sure is annoying. I really like the DS4, but the build quality seems to be shit in general. I'm only waiting for the rubber to start pealing off the new one...
Click to expand...

When I got my new DS4, I noticed really minor things that had been improved outside of the new rubber on the sticks. The face buttons and dpad had a more matte feel to them, and they clicked better. The touch pad was more clicky and less mushy. The whole controller felt more solid, where my launch one creaked when twisted a bit. Tiny things that all add up to a great feel.

The one thing I noticed that was worse about the new controller was my R2 started squeaking when pressed. Now today I noticed my L2 is starting to squeak, but the R2 is sounding ok. Go figure.
 
Duxxy3 said:
I'm not so sure about that. The wear on the DS4 happens on the ridges of the analog. Those ridges don't exist on the DS3. On a DS3 that wear gets spread over a larger area, rather than just the lower left portion of the left analog.
Click to expand...

Mine wore right in the center. It was the rubber. The sticks on the new DS4s with the new rubber are solid as hell.
 
Cyborg said:
No way Junior.

Im a (retro)game collector and take care of my products. I have a black and a blue DS4, both of them have problems with the left stick.
US5CIgt.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow, that's shocking...and bewildering. Looking through the pictures in this thread I keep wondering whether it was a faulty batch? Because my controller has been subject to a fair amount of abuse and repeated use, yet its sticks have retained their structure and there isn't a single tear in sight, that's just so odd.
 
Just did the Xbox One sticks mod. Got tired of my thumbs slipping off the sticks after extended play on my DS4. Didn't have a problem with the rubber falling apart though.

qDrww6b.jpg


The sticks are a bit higher so that will take some getting used to, but otherwise it feels fantastic.
 
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