So Dead Rising 3 exposes a major flaw with the Xbox One controller design. The AA batteries are loose in the controllers. DR3 requires you to shake the remote so that Kinect can recognize you attempting to get out of a grapple. If you do it more than gently you will hear the batteries smack around inside the controller. At first I thought something broke but if you take off the battery cover and shake it, not even that hard, the batteries will pop out. I tried this in two controllers, the day one controller with the Xbox One and a controller I purchased separately. $100 million in design and they didn't do enough QA to find out that AA batteries sit loose?

I've seen a few comments around the net about it but I can't find anything major. I don't think this is a one-off issue. I'm going to send a ticket to Microsoft to see what they say.

My batteries arent loose. Just turn off the shake promt in options.

I haven't had that problem. I can see how it might be a problem if you shake the controller too hard, but Dead Rising 3 requires little more then a jerk upwards of the controller. Also you can turn the Kinect options off in the options menu for the game.

Also I can't get the batteries to pop loose in my controller. Even shaking it vigorously in one hand for a good 10 seconds wouldn't make them budge. You might want to make sure they are pushed in properly and the cover in the back is fully connected.

It still boggles my mind that its 2013 and controllers still needs AA batteries....

Yep, they are pushed in properly and the back is connected. You can find people with similar options and I'm sure many more people have the same issue, they just haven't noticed it yet.

Had this problem with the 360, not new.

its only time until someone stuffs the ones controller guts in a 360 controller case

Least they can be replaced. Battery goes bad on PS controller your just fucked. Had it happen. One went bad in like a year. Wouldn't charge, then stopped even working when it was plugged in.

I had my ps3 controller last for the 4+ years I had it and to this day it still works. Even if it did die in a year, I would prefer that to double A batteries. Microsoft made such a leap trying so hard to push everyone forward with this system in so many ways ever since announced, yet still stick to double A's..its pretty crazy.

@pause422: I like to use rechargeable AAs. Never have to pllug the controller in and I can take advantage of the newest battery tech. The newer rechargeable batteries are pretty awesome.

Get rechargable AA's and the batteries will be a positive for you.

Haven't heard of any issues though.

Its Micro$oft. They want you to spend money on battery packs and external charges and such. Same as last gen. Sony is greedy but I can say with honesty, they are better then the redmond firm and will keep getting my money. Just like how Apple will not see a $ until they fix their attitude with patents and stop suing everything android and actually shows why they say their phone is the best.

@mcshank: People like you make me hate the internet. I felt you should know.

fixed

weird, soooo uhhhhh.... is the d pad worthy for a decent fighting game? These are my priorities, because I'd duct tape the battery slot if what your are saying is an issue

This complain is the shinning example of fanboyism and quite possibly the dumbest argument I've ever heard. The Xbox One requiring batteries is on the verge of disgusting and almost comical.

@crithon: The dpad is definitely improved over the 360 pad, and I've not had any issues with Killer Instinct. I doubt you could do half the moves needed in KI with the old d-pad.

Sadly, it still kinda feels terrible compared to everything other current generation d-pad out there (WiiU gamepad/gamepad pro, DS4).

I wouldn't know. I bought a play and charge kit that has a rechargeable battery pack.

@shadowskill11: Why torture yourself? Every 360 play and charge kit stopped working after a few months. Go with eneloops!

@xalienxgreyx: how is it disgusting? So what? It takes batteries. You have to change them sometimes. Oh no. Plus they last far longer than the ps4 controller.

Its better than the alternative. I went through two PS3 controllers that I had to take apart and fix because of a faulty battery. It takes about a half hour and costs a fuck tonne of money. You know how many 360 pads I had to scrap because of a faulty battery? None, and when they die it takes about a minute to find a pair and install em. No breaking out the USB cord in the middle of a gaming session, no extra fees, no pain in the ass dis-assembly. Just put in a charged pair of eneloops and I am good to go.

$4 is a fuck tonne of money? You could rack up battery bills like crazy on a 360/XB1 controller...

I want to know how those hold up this time around. I was stupid/optimistic enough to buy a couple of play and charge kits for my 360 controllers at launch and they ended up crapping out on my after a couple of years. I've been using and loving Eneloops every since.

@horseman6: Have you tried a different brand of batteries by any chance? I've experienced this before with other electronics, turns out not all brands of AA battery are precisely the same length. If the springs aren't very tight then a half a millimeter in overall length could possibly mean the difference between a tight fit and batteries popping out.

Try a different battery or if you're comfortable doing it, stretch the negative spring end of the terminals in the controller battery compartment out a little bit and you'll be all set. You can also put a small piece of foam inside the battery door to hold the AA's in a bit tighter. Another idea is to get some foam, like pieces of disposable earplugs or something, and put small wedges of it in between the positive end of the battery terminal and the battery itself to shove it up towards the spring a bit more and make the fit more secure.

that's the weirdest problem with Xbox controllers.

Jam a wad of paper in there. It's a pretty stupid design flaw, but I don't think I'd quite call it a major one.

So yeah...that's kind of silly.

I did find it kind of weird how the batteries just kind of slid in there, if I take off the cover they do pop out, but can't say I heard them smash against the cover, so it seems tight enough in there.

Let me chime in with others in letting you know how ironically comical this post is, in a sad sad way.

Turns out all AAs aren't the same diameter. On 360 this is a problem for me, my LSD NIMHs (like Eneloops) are difficult to get in and out of the holder because the holder was made for smaller alkaline batteries. I'm guessing MS decided to make the battery holders larger now and that means if you use any of the slightly smaller batteries they rattle.

If I only could afford one controller, I'd be thrilled with the flexibility of changing batteries quickly. But I can afford multiple controllers so I just prefer the built-in system of the PS3/PS4 where I pick up a new controller and put the old one on charge.

In short, the MS system has its advantages for some, but it's a negative for me.

@mcshank: Internet Exploder

I shook my controller to hell and did not hear the batteries shaking.

Don't they have a battery pack?

Hi,

got the same problem (and found it too playing DR3) but with the battery pack,

when shaking the joypad will shut it off!

After few testing i've found that the battery pack was faulty, it was not a controller problem (phew) :D

Put a piece of cotton in there?

Like Marlon Brando shoved cotton balls in his cheeks for The Godfather.

I haven't had a problem, so it might be a manufacturing defect, not a design flaw.

I had this all the time with the early 360 controllers. It's the reason I switched to battery packs for quite a while. But I've put in a good 30 hours or so on DR3 and while I think about the batteries coming loose, it hasn't happened yet. I've also only been using Eneloops in my Xbox One controller. I wonder if they are sized slightly different.

More $

That is what I say, but I hear others say that is what makes it great for those who use rechargeable. They say it helps keep stuff out of landfills by using rechargeable that are common sized AA. However, I just toss my whole controller in the lithium battery bin at the dump...no fee...but I can see people's point. I'm lucky, I guess, because we our dump is well enough run to have six different battery bins. I just toss the controller in the same bin as you toss computer batteries.


I might add that even if the batteries were replaceable I wouldn't keep a controller for more than 18 months. After a year, the springs start to go, the buttons are looser, and the whole controller is "less" than it should be. Dirt and grime you can clean off with alcohol, but the once the springs have lost their spung and teh buttons only work 99% of the time instead of 100%, the controller is shot. I have had controllers for two years, but as soon as a buy a new one I can tell, so I wonder why I waited so long,

I'm not a fan of the Xbox One controller. I think it's a step backwards compared to the Xbox 360 controller, and just slightly ahead of the DS3. I have my complaints about the new controller, but using AA batteries is not one of them since I have Eneloops. I don't mind built in batteries either.

Talking about fanboysm: You've been in every single tread bashing the xbone.

Said so, I haven't had any problems with the control yet. Bought a energizer rechargeable battery kit as someone recommend, It's been working good so far. I'm slightly more annoyed by the RB LB, feel slightly uncomfortably to reach at times.

It would be ironic if the argument that the PS3 Lithium Ion Battery burnt out at all, but I myself, and many others I know have controllers 3 - 5 years old that hold charges for hours on end.

You're not even allowed to use wireless Xbox controllers at LAN events in case the batteries shaking loose interferes with the events of the match. The controllers are a joke, and the Xbox One using AA's is hilarious.

I have a problem that the UI isn't made for the Xbox One controller. I think that's a huge oversight.

I've got them shaky batteries, but I only notice them if I shake my controller about like a total madman.

@xalienxgreyx: If by LAN events you mean Call of Duty tournaments or EVO type tourneys then they always use wired controllers because a) there are hundreds of people playing at the same time and b) no input lag over cable which is important for competition players.

That guy will make a lot of money, i picked my 360 control up the other day and was like mmmmmm maybe its coz im used to it but i like this alot better.

I thought you wer going to mention the fact that i can jam my skin in the gaps of the fucking triggers

I don't have any issues with the removable batteries and generally prefer the option to replace just the rechargeable pack/battery rather than the whole controller.

My only real complaint on the XB1 controller is how noticeable the seams are on grips. The hard edged seams of the plastic are really irritating compared to the nice texture on the PS4 grips. I am just happy that both systems have controllers that are basically enjoyable to use rather than last gen where the DS3 was actively unpleasant.

Having battery powered controllers in 2013 is an absolute joke, there's no two ways around it.