Real questions. Real answers.

Credit holds for 14 days from the moment you lock it in. You'll see a countdown in the shop while you browse and a reminder email before it expires.

Genuine first-party controllers only: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 DualShock, PlayStation 5 DualSense. No Scuf, PowerA, GameSir, or other third-party brands.

Credit is calculated per controller based on model and condition, and shown live in the trade-in flow before you commit — no guessing. Drift, dead buttons, and cosmetic wear all earn solid credit.

Yes — trade-ins are for broken or malfunctioning controllers only. Drift, dead buttons, dead zones, won't-power-on, cracked shells, or fully dead units all qualify. Fully working controllers aren't eligible. What we also can't accept: smashed/crushed housings, missing parts (buttons, sticks, triggers, ports, internals), and aftermarket or third-party controllers. See the full Swap Rules below.

Each trade-in is capped at 3 controllers. If you've got more, you can run a second trade-in after the first one ships back to us.

You've got 7 days from the day your new controller arrives to drop the swap box at any USPS Post Office (or hand it to your mail carrier) — the prepaid label is already inside. If nothing's postmarked by day 7, we send a reminder and a late-return fee may apply at our discretion. By day 14 your account is flagged: future trade-ins and swap credit are locked out for good, and the unpaid balance (full retail minus what you actually paid) is invoiced. Unpaid invoices after 30 days are turned over to collections. It's an honor-system program — finish the swap and there's nothing to worry about.

Within 24 hours — both Pro Restored and Mamba Custom builds. Every order leaves the Den inside one business day, tracking number included. No 'hand-built means slow' excuses.

No. Free shipping on the new controller, free prepaid label for the return, free shipping on any guarantee swap. Both directions, every time.

Your new controller arrives in a swap box with a prepaid return label already inside. Drop your old controllers in the same box, slap on the label, and leave it at any USPS Post Office or hand it to your mail carrier. No printer, no QR code hunt, no trip to a shipping store for supplies.

7 days from the day your new controller arrives. The swap box and prepaid return label are already in your hands — pack the controllers securely, slap the label on, drop it at any USPS Post Office or hand it to your mail carrier. Returns postmarked after day 7 may be subject to a late-return fee.

All major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, and PayPal. Buy-now-pay-later via Shop Pay Installments is available at checkout on eligible orders.

Not at this time — we ship within the continental US only.

Everything that breaks from normal gaming use — stick drift, dead zones, stuck or unresponsive buttons, trigger or bumper failure, charging issues, connectivity drops, internal component failure. If it stops working the way it should and you didn't cause it, we cover it.

Anything outside normal use: drops and impact damage, liquid damage, controllers in unreasonable condition (smashed, heavily abused), units opened or modified outside the Den, and lost or stolen controllers. Open it up and the guarantee is void — we need to be the only ones inside the build.

Yes. Every controller we build ships with TMR magnetic anti-drift joysticks — standard on both Pro Restored and Mamba Custom — and every one of them carries a lifetime guarantee on those sticks. If they ever drift, we swap them. No time limit, no fine print.

$20 at checkout adds a full year on top of the standard 60 days — 14 months of coverage total on everything outside the TMR sticks (those are already covered for life on every build). Same free-swap terms, longer window.

Email support@swapmamba.com within 48 hours of delivery with your order number and a quick photo or video. Transit damage and dead-on-arrival units get fast-tracked — we ship a replacement the same business day, no inspection wait required.

Yes — as long as it hasn't shipped. Builds leave the Den within 24 hours, so email support@swapmamba.com as soon as possible with your order number. Once it's in transit, you'll need to wait for delivery and either keep it, use the 60-day swap-out, or follow the return path below.

We don't offer buyer's-remorse returns — every build is tested and signed off before it ships, and trade-in cores can't be un-swapped. If something actually breaks or feels off from normal gaming use, the 60-day swap-out covers it. Not sure which build is for you? Email us before you order and we'll walk you through it.

Same business day. Email support@swapmamba.com with your order number and what's going wrong — we send the prepaid label back the same business day. Once your controller hits the Den and passes inspection, the replacement ships within 24 hours.

Pro Restored is a factory OEM controller put through our 25-point restore process — teardown, repair, TMR magnetic anti-drift joysticks installed, and tuned until it leaves the Den feeling new. Mamba Custom is a high-quality, unique build with a unique design and deeper customization options — it starts as a Pro Restored core, then adds the upgrades that should've come stock: clicky triggers, custom shells, optional back paddles, and further personalization. Both tiers ship with TMR sticks and the lifetime stick warranty.

TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) sticks use magnets instead of physical contacts, so there's nothing to wear down — they don't develop drift the way OEM (or older hall-effect) sticks do. They're the current gold standard, and what the pros run.

The lifetime guarantee covers the TMR magnetic anti-drift joysticks on every controller we build — standard on both Pro Restored and Mamba Custom. If those sticks ever drift, we swap them for life. Every other part of the controller (buttons, triggers, shell, battery, board, connectivity) is covered by our standard 60-day swap-out guarantee, extendable to 14 months for $20.

We don't do customer-supplied shells yet (warranty/sourcing reasons), but if you want a colorway or design we don't stock, send us a reference and we'll see if we can build it into an upcoming drop.

Yes — every build is pre-paired and firmware-updated to the latest console release before it ships. Plug into your console once over USB-C and you're live.

Three rules: (1) No excessive damage — controllers can't be smashed, crushed, or physically broken beyond normal wear. Drift, dead buttons, cosmetic scuffs, and cracked shells are fine; impact damage is not. (2) Original brands only — genuine first-party Xbox and PlayStation controllers. Aftermarket, third-party, or knockoff controllers are not eligible. (3) Complete components — all buttons, thumbsticks, triggers, internal components, and ports must be present. Missing parts disqualifies the swap.

No. We only accept genuine first-party Xbox and PlayStation controllers. Scuf, PowerA, GameSir, and other third-party brands are not eligible for trade-in credit.

Missing parts disqualify the swap — we need complete units with all buttons, sticks, triggers, internals, and ports intact. A broken stick that's still attached is fine; a stick that's gone entirely is not.

Use the reusable swap box your new controller arrived in. Wrap each controller in the included foam or bubble wrap, fill empty space so nothing rattles, and seal it up. Damage caused in transit from loose packing is on the sender.

Yes — if returned controllers don't meet the condition requirements above (excessive damage, third-party brand, or missing parts), we reserve the right to cancel the swap. You'll be notified by email with photos, and you'll have the choice to (a) pay the difference to keep your new controller, or (b) ship the new controller back at our cost for a refund minus the original outbound shipping. The swap won't proceed until the criteria are met.

Sometimes. Numbered builds (1-of-25, 1-of-50) are one-time runs — once they're gone, they're gone. Non-numbered customs and Pro Restored builds restock weekly as new cores come in from trade-ins.

Every controller is built and tested in The Den, our workshop in Portland, Oregon. No drop-shipping, no third-party fulfillment.

Email support@swapmamba.com — we answer same-day on weekdays, next business day on weekends.

Yes — esports orgs, content creators, and event partners get tiered pricing on 5+ units. Email support@swapmamba.com with what you need.