Deadzone
Also called dead zone
A deadzone is the small area around a stick’s center that a game treats as no input. It hides the slight resting offset every stick has but it also swallows very small deliberate movements.
In practice
Every game sets its own deadzone and many let you change it. A larger deadzone hides a drifting stick but makes small movements harder, which matters for precise aiming. A smaller one feels more responsive but exposes drift. Competitive players often lower it and then need sticks that rest very close to center.
How to check
Measure your stick’s resting offset in the controller test. If it reads 0.04 and the game’s deadzone is set to 0.05, the drift is just hidden. Set the deadzone slightly above your measured drift. If you need a large deadzone to stop the character moving, the stick is worn enough to consider fixing.