Valve recently launched its Steam Deck portable console. The machine lets you play a host of PC games on a supercharged Nintendo Switch-like machine. However, some users are already reporting a problem that some Nintendo hybrid console players are experiencing.
Joy-Con Drift: the spin-off?
By dint of using sticks on a controller or a portable console, it may happen that a drift problem appears. Recently, this concern has been widely highlighted with the Nintendo Switch and its famous “Joy-Con drift” which affects many consumers. Via reddit, we learn that a user quickly encountered a stick drift problem with his Steam Deck.
In the video showing a test of the controls of the machine, we see that the X and Y values of the right stick continue to fluctuate whereas they should display “0” once the stick is released. Subsequently, a second user noticed the same problem. This could be a simple calibration issue (which can therefore be resolved via an update) or a manufacturing defect affecting a minority of buyers, however it is alarming to already see problems of this kind shortly after launch. . Normally, drifting issues occur after long use.
In July 2021, Yazan Aldehayyat, one of the console engineers, assured that this specific point had been the subject of numerous tests:
” We did a ton of reliability testing, really on all fronts – and all the different controls and environmental factors, and all that kind of stuff. […] I mean, obviously some components are going to malfunction at some point, but we think people will be very satisfied and happy with that. »
We hope that Valve will quickly find a solution if this becomes more widespread.