What happens if I drop my Oculus Quest controller?

Best answer: The Oculus Quest Touch Controllers aren't as durable as previous models. There seems to be a particular weak point on the sensor ring. If you drop one or punch a wall while playing a game, there's a chance you'll crack it.

Not as durable

The Oculus Quest Touch Controllers are great at tracking hand movements, but they aren't as durable as previous Oculus Touch Controllers. There seems to be a design flaw that affects at least some Oculus Quest Touch Controllers. This fault could be limited to a subset of Touch Controllers, but users have reported cracked tracking rings on Reddit. In my time with the Oculus Quest I have accidentally hit a counter while playing the beta of Eleven Table Tennis and my Touch Controller was fine, but several users have dropped controllers that then cracked. Of course, it isn't a good idea to punch anything with them or to drop them, but accidents happen.

In the thread with the cracked controller, Oculus Support reached out and asked the user to report the case. There's a chance that it is a design defect that only affects some units.

Ordering a replacement

If you do crack a Touch Controller, you should contact Oculus Support. There's no guarantee that they'll replace it, but there's no harm in trying. Additionally, Oculus should know about controllers cracking so easily so they're aware of the issue and can fix it in the future.

If you do have to replace your Touch Controller, you can order them online. Oculus sells the left and right controllers separately on their website. A single controller costs $69. The website states that they'll be dispatched in around two days, so you probably won't have to wait very long to receive your replacement.

Sean Endicott