There was a little tech tip on the timeline from the AskPlayStation, Sony’s official PlayStation account. They referred to the DualSense Edge wireless controller, which costs $200. The tweet explained that the dead zone is the part where you can press a button or slide a stick without the console recognizing it as an input. Moreover, with the Edge, one can set various dead zones for the triggers and the analog sticks.
The goal is to eliminate the accidental inputs, which is very critical for eSports players that a tiny twitch can turn a headshot into getting your head shot off. They even made a settings management helper page for the Edge. It looks good in theory, right? A pro trait from a pro controller.
The thing is the replies? They were not so nice as it seemed that Sony had just opened the floodgates to all the complaints from gamers. The first response from many of the users was less about the feature and more about… all the other things. One of the top replies simply stated, ‘Been able to do this on Xbox for years.’ That hurts. That is clearly an outright battle claiming and pointing out that the Microsoft Elite controllers have had this level of customization for a long time. It somehow gives the impression of Sony trying to catch up instead of being the ones who set the standards.
Then there was the elephant in the room, or drifting stick in the controller, or however you want to describe it. Many replies would by-pass the dead zone issue and simply go for the jugular with their answer: stick drift, the gaming world’s annoying problem. ‘Can they make digital sticks so we stop getting stick drift?’ one gamer asked. Another was even more straightforward: ‘how about a controller that doesn’t get stick drift u bums.’ This is the main worry for lots of PlayStation 5 users.
It is commonly thought that the standard DualSense controllers have the stick drift developing way too fast – the irritating issue where the character or camera moves on its own – this is too widespread. So, for Sony to be focusing on the fine-tuning feature of the $200 controller while many feel the basic $70 model has a fundamental flaw? It did not go down well with people at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.
That reaction was echoed by others. A user warned that if the dead zone was set to zero, the sticks might need to be replaced more often, and this would be a rather cynical but maybe fair point. Another user mentioned that they had never had stick drift until they got a PS5 controller. It’s a delicate topic, and it may not have been the best move for Sony to announce this premium feature in a way that was bound to poke the issue.
And then there is the whole accessibility question, or rather the lack of it. A number of users wondered why the deadzone customization was not offered on other controller models, thereby questioning the DualSense Edge feature’s exclusivity. ‘This should be available for the DualSense controller too. Restricting features to a premium controller feels scummy,’ said one gamer. Another simply asked, ‘why is this Edge only?’
It looks like this is a highly beneficial quality-of-life feature that should be incorporated into the system software of all controllers, particularly since, as mentioned in another reply, platforms like Steam allow you to configure deadzones on almost any controller you plug in. Thus, making it exclusive to the high-end model seems to be a case of paywalling basic functionality for some.
Amidst the mostly negative feedback, there were a few random requests and problems mixed in. One person asked if it was possible to disable the internal vibrations because they found the Edge to be too heavy. Another person wanted four back buttons instead of two in a possible ‘Edge 2.’ Even a request was made for the PS5 to support Bluetooth pairing with Sony’s premium WH-1000XM4 headphones.
And as always with support accounts, unrelated customer service pleas for assistance regarding wallet funds and account problems were also part of the chaotic mix. It was a chaotic mix, but the main themes were clear: fix the drift and do not confine basic settings behind a paywall.
Oh, and in the midst of the turmoil, there was a random but fervent demand to rectify Gran Turismo 7 that included a list of in-game issues. Just, you know, casually dropped there as a good measure. The internet is indeed a crazy place.
So, what is the moral of the story? Sony’s DualSense Edge is a powerful device with real pro features. Customizable dead zones are indeed a huge deal for players who need that milimeter-precise control. However, the response from the community indicates a major disconnect. For a large part of the gaming community, talk of advanced tuning sounds like dressing up a car with fancy rims while the transmission is faulty.
