GameStop will let you trade in your busted controller for the same price as a new one for a limited time
GameStop has built a reputation for offering rather unappealing trade-in valuations, yet no gamers can deny quite how attractive their new limited-time offer is, as it lets you exchange a 'busted' controller for a new one without paying a single extra penny.
When most gamers are spending hours every single day holding the same controller, it's only inevitable that it receives some form of wear and tear — especially when some are prone to rage more than others.
It doesn't take being chucked across the room for a controller to receive some scuffs or scratches, and more sensitive parts like the analog sticks are prone to disintegration over years, if not months of heavy use.
The eye-watering price of a new controller understandably puts many off swapping out their beaten-up peripherals until they quite literally stop working, yet GameStop is running a game-changing new trade-in program for a limited time that could solve all your problems.
GameStop lets gamers swap old controllers for a new one
Sharing the news on X, GameStop has just announced a limited-time program running until August 15 that lets you "trade your busted controller in for the same credit as a working one," effectively getting a new controller for free.
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It's pretty much as simple as it sounds and definitely not too good to be true as many are speculating on social media, yet the reason why GameStop have decided to offer such a great deal remains up in the air.
It is only available for an incredibly short period of time, with the offer launching on August 3 and running until this Saturday, August 15, so if you've got an old controller lying around then you'd be silly not to take advantage.
Gamers who are currently suffering from stick drift would be wise to use the offer too as the issue will only get worse, and it's one of the few defects that dramatically impacts your experience playing games while remaining technically still 'functional'.
Is there a catch with this deal?
You'd be forgiven for retaining a sense of skepticism when it comes to this deal, but the only genuine 'catch' is that the controller must fulfil the requirements to be normally accepted as 'defective' through GameStop's standard trade-in rules.
It's unclear what the exact parameters are for this, and it's likely down to the discretion of each individual store, yet any controller that still powers on, isn't completely destroyed, and remains responsive should be accepted.
That means that any marks, scratches, or defective joysticks should hopefully still be accepted — and it also appears as if stick drift doesn't rule out your controller for eligibility, making this a major win.
Additionally, the small print details that the offer includes controllers for PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox, but doesn't apply to any 'retro' or third-party peripherals, with the "product condition and trade value determined at GameStop's discretion."