Suspiciously timed to a class action lawsuit
For the better part of 2020, Microsoft has faced a class action lawsuit over routine stick drift in several models of Xbox controllers. The Complaint alleges that Microsoft knows of the defects and refuses to repair the problem free of charge when users submit a support ticket. Just two weeks ago, the Complaint was amended to list the new(ish) Xbox Elite Series 2 controller as a model that is defective and subject to consumer relief.
Probably not coincidentally, Microsoft has just quadrupled the length of the Xbox Elite Series 2’s standard warranty. In an update on its support page, Microsoft has extended the Elite Series 2 warranty from 90 days to one year.
The warranty change is retroactive too. The Elite Series 2 launched in November 2019, so all controllers are currently covered. If you previously paid for an out-of-warranty repair, you’re due for a refund. If you’ve been holding off on a repair because you didn’t want to pay for it, now’s the time to send it in.
It took 11 months and some litigation, but we’re finally where we should’ve been all along. A $180 controller should have quality control and insurance that outlasts three months.
Xbox Wireless Elite Series 2 Controller warranty update [Xbox]
