Materials

Apart from the components inside it, the controller is made out of plastic. Plastic would be the ideal material used in this kind of situation. The components underneath the plastic of the controller are made of metals and alloys, and they are well-protected by the plastic.

Sometimes, when people play video games and lose, they take it out on the controller by either bashing it the floor or flinging it across the room. Because it is made out of plastic and not, say, porcelain or glass, it survives the fall without breaking (though of course, just like anything else, if it is thrown enough, it will eventually stop working).

It’s unlikely that a controller will ever be subjected to corrosion because its environment (usually, both a game console and controller will perpetually reside in your basement) will probably not damage it over time. Unless said basement is flooded, in which case the controller may be damaged, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to worry about the corrosion of the plastic covering the controller.

Plastic is also a good choice of material for a controller because it is a poor conductor, both electrical and thermal. The reasons as to why this is a good thing should be fairly obvious: you don’t want to be zapped or burned while playing Okami or Kingdom Hearts. You really don’t.