Logitech Suffers Stock Hit, Sarcastic Amazon Reviews Over Use On Doomed Titan Sub

Logitech took a significant blow to its stocks and faced a flood of negative and sarcastic reviews on its Amazon page after it was disclosed that the ill-fated Titan submersible, which tragically went missing, was navigated using a video game controller produced by the Swiss computer manufacturer.

According to OceanGate, the 21-foot submarine incorporated several readily available components, including scaffolding poles for ballast and a modified Logitech F710 wireless controller instead of a traditional steering wheel. This $250,000-per-seat vessel relied on the Logitech controller for its operations.

Since the news broke that the submersible carrying five passengers had lost contact with its mothership, Polar Prince, Logitech’s shares on the US market have declined by 3.4% since Monday. On Wednesday, the shares experienced a significant plunge of up to 11% but were recently trading at $55.71 in early Friday trades.

The Logitech F710 controller, which is listed on Amazon for $49.99 and has a four-star rating, is primarily used as a video game controller for the Playstation console. However, the Amazon listing indicates that it can also be used for computer games.

The question-and-answer section of the controller’s Amazon listing has already been inundated with sarcastic inquiries, such as “Can I use this for my submersible?” and “Would you recommend this controller for piloting a tourist submarine? Asking for a friend, thanks!”

Furthermore, even the cheaper Logitech F310 game controller, priced at $24.99 and labeled as “Amazon’s Choice,” has been subjected to trolling comments related to the ill-fated submersible’s voyage to the Titanic wreck.

One user wrote a one-star review, stating, “Look elsewhere for your submarine needs,” while another claimed, “Controller sank my submarine,” garnering nearly 200 votes as “helpful.”

In another two-star review, a customer issued a warning: “DO NOT USE THIS FOR STEERING A SUBMARINE. HUGE. MISTAKE.”

Adding a touch of sarcasm, another commentator sarcastically awarded the plastic controller a five-star rating, stating, “Perfect for controlling my submersible. I love finding economic solutions to my problems.”

Unlike conventional submarines, submersibles are incapable of descending to the ocean floor and returning without the support of their mothership. In the case of the Titan, Polar Prince served as its mothership and provided navigation assistance to reach the Titanic wreck, located 12,500 feet below the surface.

OceanGate’s CEO, Stockton Rush, previously boasted about his submersible invention’s simplicity, utilizing objects like the video game controller. During a CBS segment aired last November, Rush showcased the Logitech F710 controller, humorously declaring, “This is not your grandfather’s submersible.”

He further stated that navigating the vessel 2.4 miles below the sea shouldn’t require a significant amount of skill. Displaying a vintage gray gaming device, he said with a smile, “We run this whole thing off this game controller.”

Tragically, Rush, aged 61, was among the five passengers on board the Titan, which is now believed to have imploded, resulting in the loss of all lives.

The other individuals on the Titan included Titanic specialist Paul-Henri Nargeolet, UK billionaire explorer Hamish Harding, Pakistani billionaire and mogul Shanzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Sulaiman.

Following the discovery of debris from the vessel on the ocean floor, it was revealed that a top-secret US Navy acoustic detection system had detected sounds from the implosion.

{Matzav.com}