Yesterday, on August 11, 2026, a post in the r/Controller subreddit shared images of what appears to be the long-awaited Xbox Elite Series 3 controller, a successor to one of the best Xbox controllers, which we gave a near-perfect score to back in 2021.
The original poster deleted their "leaked" gallery of the implied prototype (potentially in response to an unconfirmed cease-and-desist order from Microsoft). Still, the images were nonetheless preserved and shared again by The Verge's Tom Warren, who clarifies how the original post claimed the poster purchased it from "OfferUp", an online reseller marketplace.
Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Elite 3 controller has appeared on Reddit. The poster says they purchased it on OfferUp https://t.co/HeJ3TQ9qaG pic.twitter.com/XsPOP1eCaHAugust 11, 2026
As with any rumor —or supposed leak — it's always best to take them with a pinch of salt, as any could turn out to be fake, and these images of the Xbox Elite Series 3 controller are no exception. Then again, there are plenty of hints in its design that this is indeed a prototype that was never intended to be seen publicly. The Verge's report even confirms that the battery pack says "Prototype, not for sale".
Still, these could be knockoffs of the official Xbox Elite Series controller or an early, unfinished model that looks nothing like the final product. However, the fact that these images were quickly removed implies they may be real.
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If it is genuine, it at least doesn't appear at a glance that the Elite Series 3 has changed much from its predecessor, other than a slightly different rubberized grip design and different-looking trigger locks.
However, The Verge's analysis shows some new features. These include two new scroll wheels along the bottom edge, a wireless mode that would connect directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming servers, and a 'Pair' button that switches the controller's connection between Cloud Gaming servers and an Xbox console.
Either way, we will have to wait for Microsoft's official announcement of the Xbox Elite Series 3 controller to see whether this design becomes the final product or an outdated prototype/knock-off. Gamescom is coming up, so we'll see.
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