Steam Deck stick drift is a software problem, and a fix has already rolled out

Steam Deck with battery life remaining overlay on the screen
(Image credit: Future)

Recently, Steam Deck users started reporting a worrying problem with their brand new units: stick drift. It's an issue that has plagued the Nintendo Switch, and to a lesser extent Xbox and PlayStation controllers, and manifests as a slight drift of the analog sticks while gaming. That can be a huge problem in most games, but especially where precision is necessary, like for example, in Elden Ring.

While a handful of problem cases is hardly evidence of a widespread problem, several posts on Reddit confirmed that drift is happening, specifically on the right stick. This video is pretty conclusive. But thankfully, Valve has confirmed that though it is a widespread problem, it's an easily fixable one. Even better, a firmware update has already rolled out to fix it.

Valve UX designer Lawrence Yang confirmed on Twitter that the problem should now be addressed. "The team has looked into the reported issues and it turns out it was a deadzone regression from a recent firmware update," Yang tweeted. "We just shipped a fix to address the bug, so make sure you're up to date." A reddit user also posted a Valve support response that said much the same thing.  

Whether the Steam Deck would suffer stick drift or not was a big question in the lead up to launch. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, the Steam Deck's control inputs aren't easily replaceable, meaning if your stick starts drifting, you're kind of stuffed. "We've done a ton of testing on reliability," Valve hardware engineer Yazan Aldehayyat said back in July. "I think we feel that this will perform really well. And I think people will be super happy with it. I think that it's going to be a great buy. I mean, obviously every part will fail at some point, but we think people will be very satisfied and happy with this." 

Shaun Prescott
Australian Editor

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.

Read more
Valve Steam Deck OLED handheld PC
'The future of hardware at Valve is bright': Valve celebrates the success of Steam Deck and Steam OS
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con skating on surface
Looks like the Nintendo Switch 2's Joy-Cons double as gaming mice, which is neat but I can't help think about how I basically never use the Legion Go's same feature
Valve Steam Deck with GeForce Now app overlaid on screen.
After a year in its company, I've done a complete 180 on my Steam Deck
Steam Deck's loading throbber
SteamOS beta could be available to download to your handheld gaming PC of choice as soon as April
The Steam Deck playing Cyberpunk 2077, outside in a much-too-small back garden
The latest Steam Deck beta update can improve battery life with the frame limiter active by *checks notes* a whole six percent
Valve Steam Deck with GeForce Now app overlaid on screen.
Nvidia announces dedicated GeForce Now app for Steam Decks and more, streamlining cloud gaming for mixed-reality headset wearers too
Latest in Handheld Gaming PCs
Valve Steam Deck OLED handheld PC
'The future of hardware at Valve is bright': Valve celebrates the success of Steam Deck and Steam OS
Still from a CNET video highlighting the Samsung concept device from MWC 2025
Samsung's handheld prototype delivers folding phone screens to Switch-like gaming hardware, and I am absolutely here for it
Xbox handheld
Microsoft is reportedly prepping a handheld Xbox for later this year with new consoles coming in 2027
OneXPlayer 2 pro on a table
I never thought a handheld PC bloated with Windows could replace my Steam Deck, but after gaming on an old OneXPlayer 2 Pro I can see now I judged it too harshly
A Razer Handheld Dock Chroma with a Steam Deck OLED
Razer Handheld Dock Chroma review
The Logitech G305 Lightspeed gaming mouse floats in a teal, deal header image void. This is the black colourway with silver-y grey accents. A stylised 'G' is painted on to the lower portion of the palm rest.
Clicking fingers at the ready—you can snap up the best budget gaming mouse for $30
Latest in News
Will Poulter holding a CD ROM
'What are most games about? Killing': Black Mirror Season 7 includes a follow-up to 2018 interactive film Bandersnatch
Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers
Sony, which is making a Helldivers 2 movie, is also making a new Starship Troopers movie, but it's not based on the Starship Troopers movie we already have
Assassin's Creed meets PUBG
Ubisoft is reportedly talking to Tencent about creating a new business entity to manage Assassin's Creed and other big games
Resident Evil Village - Lady Dimitrescu
'It really truly changed my life in every possible way': Lady Dimitrescu actor says her Resident Evil Village role was just as transformative for her as it was for roughly half the internet in 2021
Storm trooper hero
Another live service shooter is getting shut down, this time before it even launched on Steam
Possibility Space concept art.
Possibility Space owners sue NetEase for $900 million over allegations it spread 'false and defamatory rumors' of fraud at the studio that ultimately forced it to close