Microsoft Will Now Allow For Self-Repair Of Controllers By Selling Parts Online

Video Games

Aug 3

In a day where planned obsolescence is becoming the norm, Microsoft seems to be changing things up, and is breaking the norm. For those who are unaware, planned obsolescence is when a company makes its devices intentionally difficult to repair or maintain, meaning that most consumers are forced to buy a new product at least semi-frequently.

Replacement parts for broken Xbox Series 2 controllers can now be purchased online. The parts sold include things such as printed circuit boards, buttons, triggers, shells, and analog sticks. The company even released a video showing details on how to repair a controller. This is done to prevent people from fiddling around too much and making things worse, or even being unsafe. The video can be seen below.

Note however that these pieces aren’t always cheap to order. One of the most expensive is analog sticks, which are meant to fix controller drift or automatic movement. This will cost you around $35, which is about half as much as a new controller, and even then you’ll still have to do the replacement yourself, so it’s not going to be a free ride. However, for those who have the technical skills, the confidence to do the work, and the patience to watch the video, it’s still worth looking into.