A bunch of images have leaked online that appear to show off a brand new Xbox Elite controller, and it appears to have a few tricks up its sleeve.
As reported by The Verge, the controller design appears to be very similar to the current Xbox Elite 2 controller with an interchangeable D-Pad, sticks and customisable triggers. However, there are a few new buttons on the pad that could be an indication of where Xbox is headed next with its strategy.
It appears that the new controller will have a dedicated button to switch to Cloud gaming. In theory, this would see the controller connect directly to Xbox Cloud servers for a faster connection and lower latency.
The design also has two new scrolling buttons at the very bottom of the controller. It’s currently unclear what these will be used for. It could be a way to ratchet up the tension on certain parts of the pad, like the joysticks, or they could be brand new input methods.
We’ve seen the recent Steam Controller from Valve bring new control methods to market with touch pads that make playing PC games on a controller much easier. With the next Xbox set to be a PC/console hybrid, Microsoft could be making early moves to add more PC-like controls to its pads.
There’s also another new feature around the back of the controller that could finally settle an argument that PlayStation gamers have had over Xbox players for nearly two decades.
For years, Xbox gamers have been the brunt of the joke that their controllers still need AA batteries to work. Meanwhile, PlayStation controllers like the DualShock and DualSense pads have utilised built-in batteries that require a single cable to top up.
For the third rendition of the Xbox Elite controller, it looks like Microsoft is opting for a removable battery that can be recharged with a USB C cable. The days of hunting down a pair of AA batteries to scrape out one more match of battery life may be over for Xbox players.
In fairness, Xbox Elite 2 controller also had a rechargeable battery, although it wasn’t removable. With this latest solution, Xbox gamers should be able to quickly hot swap batteries out when one dies, resulting in almost endless battery life.
Microsoft is yet to announce this new controller officially, although it has a big event scheduled to take place on June 7. It could announce the new pads there, along with more information about Project Helix and its line-up of games for the rest of 2026.
Will you be picking up an Xbox Elite 3 controller?
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