Valve says it’s worked hard to avoid the drift issues plaguing modern consoles.
Valve said it put a lot of effort into making sure the Steam Deck handheld gaming device won’t be affected by the same thumbstick drifting issues that have plagued modern controllers. Drifting is a hardware problem that causes thumbsticks—also referred to as joysticks or analog sticks—to register movement even if the person holding the controller hasn’t touched them. The issue can make it nearly impossible to play games that require precise inputs, and even in less intense titles, drift can make playing a game feel more like fighting a controller.
