- Xbox Elite Series 3 and a new cloud gaming controller apparently leaked online
- The cloud model appears to be much smaller and more compact than other controllers.
- The Elite Series 3 has a smaller rechargeable battery and two new scroll buttons
Designs for two Xbox controllers have apparently leaked online, offering a first look at Microsoft’s new Xbox Elite Series 3 and a cloud gaming controller.
The unannounced cloud gaming controller was the first to leak and discovered by Tecnoblog (via The Verge), which posted a series of images showing a smaller and rather strange-looking gamepad.
Both the white and black models have a flat, rectangular shape, with two thumb grips, a pairing button, and the standard Xbox buttons; However, the triggers and shoulder buttons appear to be integrated into the base, unlike a normal Xbox controller.
It also features 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3, and a USB-C port, and both models will include their own 500mAh rechargeable battery.
ESCAPE | Microsoft’s new Xbox Cloud Gaming controller has just leaked from a Brazilian regulator. Features: • 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi • 500 mAh rechargeable battery • Bluetooth 5.3 • USB-C • Bumper • Triggers • D-Pad • Pairing button via: Techoblog pic.twitter.com/8196Dwu7nGMay 14, 2026
The Xbox Elite Series 3 controller design arrived some time later, again courtesy of Technoblog. The black model looks a little different from its predecessor, the Elite Series 2, and features an interchangeable D-Pad, paddles, and two new scroll wheels at the bottom for an unknown purpose.
The Elite Series 3 also appears to have a new pair button that switches between local and cloud modes, as well as a removable rechargeable battery (1528 mAh) that is reportedly much smaller than that of the Elite Series 2 (2050 mAh).
The leaks come just a month before the Xbox Gaming Showcase, where Xbox peripherals are usually announced alongside new software.
It’s unclear if that’s the plan, so we’ll have to wait and see, but rumors from earlier this year suggested that Microsoft will release new Xbox hardware this year, including next-gen Xbox wireless controllers.
The report claims that both will support direct WiFi connectivity and eliminate Bluetooth latency from cloud gaming scenarios, which seems to align with the Elite 3’s new pair button.
The Elite Series 2 was released in 2023 as a successor to the Xbox Elite wireless controller and was much more expensive than its predecessor: £159.99/$179.99.
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