I have gone through probably 20ish Xbox controllers, the 360 controllers were the most durable (except the stick rubber bit) whereas the core and series controllers and even my elite 2 controllers have all had the bumpers break or otherwise stop functioning.

I replaces the bumpers several times manually, then with the elite 2 they changed the design but now it breaks at the actual button instead of the flimsy plastic piece like on the core/series controllers.

Luckily putting some ISO on the button and throughly cleaning it along with sticking a small piece of paper near the actuator seems to have fixed it for several months.

I would love a solid controller with Xbox style layout (particularly the thumbsticks) replaceable sticks and 4 back paddles. I think the Playstation TouchPad would also be a welcome addition for PC navigation or steam input mapping.

[–] PraiseTheSoup@lemm.ee 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

20 controllers bro you have a problem and it's not the controllers. My original Xbox 360 controllers from 2006 still work. My original Xbox one controller still works. My series x launch controller from 2020 still works. And I play dark souls. You have some other issues to sort out.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 1 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

I blame Skyrim/Fallout and Dark Souls/ER, so much bumper pressing in those games.

I also use them A LOT, even being a PC gamer lol if it supports controller, that's how I'm playing it.

I do think where I comfortably press it probably has to do with it.

If you think I'm like throwing them around or doing crazy stuff like that, I don't haha.

Edit: If you look online, it's very common for the bumpers to fail

[–] cabb@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

You've probably tried this but in case you haven't: try putting isopropyl alcohol in the gaps around the bumpers, it can clean the contacts and make the bumpers work again.

But yeah I've also has a ton of first party xbox controllers fail on me, although usually its the left stick or right trigger (I mostly play rocket league which abuses both) and was mostly the xbox one controllers so I've switched to more durable 3rd party controllers.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 1 points 6 hours ago

Ha yeah, that's how I got the elites functional again, took it apart and did it directly at the button, so far so good after several months.

The Xbox one/core controllers though it was usually part of the thin plastic bit that connects the bumpers (it's all one piece for some reason..)