Why your Xbox controller's A button doesn't work

Ever wonder why your A button doesn't seem to work sometimes? In this video, I'll tell you why that is and how Microsoft can fix it.
UPDATE: For anyone curious, the 8bitdo Ultimate Controller does not have this issue. As a result, it is my #1 recommendation for anyone wanting a good Xbox controller.
Originally posted to Reddit: / why_xb1_controllers_ha...
And later to my blog (you can find the graphics here): noodohs.game.blog/2021/01/25/...
Test your own controllers: gamepad-tester.com/
Follow me on Twitter: @noodohs

[@noodohs]

I don't think I remembered to mention this in the video, but I've tested maybe 15+ official controllers, 5 of which were Elite Series 2 controllers, and all of them have this problem to some degree. The Elite Series 2 controllers are by far the worst, though, and the newer Series X/S controllers are the best (based on the 3 I have).

[@RoVeL]

so which controller can you recommend? for xbox series, maybe new 8bitdo?

[@noodohs]

I've been using the 8bitdo Ultimate Xbox controller or whatever it's called for a while now. It's very nice, buttons work perfectly. The shoulder buttons are a little stiff, but you can lube them and then they work fine. It's a great controller.

[@thibdumont]

@@noodohs I had given up finding a good controller for PC but the 8bitdo Ultimate Xbox controller you mentionned seems to be pretty neet ! Too bad it doesn't come with bluetooth support (like the switch version). I really want to use it through my Google TV chromecast and Moonlight to be able to play on my couch.

[@reallywierdwierdo]

Thank you so much for this video! I've had this issue primarily with the Y button, probably because I usually tap it near the bottom right. I've tried 4 different controllers and noticed it with every one but I felt like I was going crazy because it doesn't seem to be a widespread issue. Your video clearly explained the issue. I desperately hope MS releases an updated controller because I absolutely love the feel and comfort of them but I just cannot use them in their current state. It's so frustrating pressing a button and it not registering in the heat of gameplay.

[@LynchRobinson]

Spent ages trying to Google this issue with my Elite 2 and this is the only video/post I've found that's actually gotten to the bottom of it and explained the problem clearly. Can't believe this doesn't have more views! Such an infuriating problem though. One thing I tried which I don't think I've seen anywhere else is inserting a small bit of electric tape between the underside of the button and the top of the rubber domes. Made a good difference though it needed multiple layers, and when I went to 3 layers it did make the switch feel a bit mushy due to the reduced travel distance. Requires complete disassembly which is obviously a huge pain considering how difficult they've made these to take apart...

[@granolabarhdstb9707]

Excellent video!

[@thibdumont]

Hi, Even though I spend most of my time on PC games, I decided 3 years ago to buy an xbox one controller to play some racing and adventure games and I encountered this issue. The feeling and responsiveness of the buttons were so bad that I returned it. Back then, I saw on the internet that this was a common issue. So I decided to wait for the next gen. I ordered an Xbox series controller 2 weeks ago.. and again.. buttons responsiveness felt TERRIBLE. I saw on the internet that pretty much every controller is affected by this issue. I can't understand how Microsoft can screw up that bad and how (most) people can just live with it. Of course, I decided to also return this one (I'm not a competitive player, really not, but i can't understand how you cannot get nuts with this issue). As you said, NES buttons were perfect, PS1 controllers I own were too, actually almost every controller (SNES, Saturn, Dualshock, N64, Wii, Switch..) I played with felt right. But Xbox controllers face buttons always felt bad to me .. and now with the last gen, we got unresponsive buttons.. (If you ask why, I want an Xbox controller because it's the best option for PC) I found some articles talking about this issue on series X that are one year old now but Microsoft seems to don't give a sh*t about this (since MANY people still report this issue) and won't update his design.. this is mind blowing ... You seem to be the only one on internet (at least that i found) that is pointing out this PCB design issue and it's pretty clear you are right on this. I'm surprised your video didn't get viral at this point but I hope it will, so maybe microsoft will move and we don't have to wait 5 years to get the next gen (that probably will stay the same if a minority complains..)

[@shadowflare09]

Informative and well presented. I assumed the issues would've been restricted to buttons sticking on the exterior level, but after watching its pretty clear the true culprit is the circuit board layout. Strange that going back as far as the NES it looks like steps were taken to circumvent this fault. Do the original Xbox and 360 controllers share this design flaw?

[@noodohs]

Yes and no? As far as I know, both the 360 and original Xbox controllers shared the same faulty PCB design. However, they don't seem to have the same problem as far as I can remember. Limiting how much the buttons can wobble, essentially making it so they can only press straight down, seems to mitigate the problem (and has worked well on the Scuf in the video), but as I mentioned, it's more of a band-aid than a real fix.

[@probablysanny9351]

Got binbok controllers for my Switch and have this issue really bad with the x-button. Annoying because there really arent any other controllers with the same features that I want. bleh.

[@tonkrogerio]

algorithm stuff

[@DJN0]

Any good resources for limiting button wobble? I would return my Elite 2 with this problem, but it has some features that I need

[@noodohs]

I've had some success by just using some label paper and sticking that to the sides around the button. Paper can degrade over time, so it's not a perfect solution, but it did help. It's easier on a Scuf since you can just pop the faceplate off, but the innards on the Elite are the same, more or less, so it would work on any Xbox controller.

[@DJN0]

@@noodohs I saw your update in the description and while I do like my 8BitDo Pro 2 controller, the Xbox Elite controllers are the only controllers that can remap their paddles to non-controller buttons through reWASD, as far as I know. That makes alternatives to the Elite controller like 8BitDo or Scuf unusable if you want paddles that don't just duplicate existing controller buttons. But if you don't need that, I would also recc an 8BitDo