The Xbox Elite Series 3 controller that reportedly leaked in May 2026 has now been spotted by a user, who posted new images of it online. The initial leak came from a Brazilian regulator that seemingly posted images of Xbox’s unreleased products online by mistake. That incident revealed a few new features coming to the new Elite controller, which are now reiterated in this latest leak.
Rumors about Xbox working on a bunch of new controllers started in 2025, and many later believed that at least some of them would be introduced during the June 2026 Xbox Games Showcase. However, the show revealed only the Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition, which was essentially an aesthetic redesign with no new features.
New Leaked Images of Xbox Elite Series 3 Tease More Features
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Image via Xbox -
Image via Xbox -
Image via Xbox
On August 11, a Reddit user posted at least six new images of the alleged Xbox Elite Series 3 controller, asking other users to confirm whether it was indeed the unreleased model. One of the images shows an LED display at the top of the controller next to the USB-C port, while another reveals the same new buttons at the bottom seen in the previous leak, which are believed to be scroll wheels. Both the Reddit post and the user’s account have since been deleted, but some of the images are still available in the comments section for now.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
According to the original poster, the controller does not seem to pair with any Xbox console or Windows PC. They said, “It does not pair with an Xbox nor with a cable. Just the red light blinking but doesn’t do anything wired or wireless.” Some fans believe this might be because the controller is from a developer kit and is locked to work only with specific consoles or PCs. Interestingly, the original poster confirmed in the comments section that they paid $200 USD for the unreleased Xbox controller, without disclosing more information about how they managed to get one in the first place. That said, the user confirmed that they live in Seattle, so that could be a clue about where the prototype controller was spotted.
Another interesting detail from the leaker is that the new Xbox controller feels mostly like the original Xbox Series X controller but is “more clicky.” One of the images they posted also shows the new removable battery with phrases like “Prototype: NOT” and “For Sale” printed on it. The initial leak reported that the battery will have a capacity of 1,528 mAh, which is less than that of the previous Xbox Elite Series model.
If the leaks are anything to go by, the reported Xbox Elite Series 3 controller seems to be at the very end of the production cycle and ready to hit store shelves. However, Microsoft hasn’t commented on the leaks so far and hasn’t hinted at any plans to unveil a new Xbox Elite controller before the end of 2026 besides the recently announced Gears of War: E-Day Special Edition variants. The first Xbox Elite controller was released back in 2015, with its successor following in 2019. Therefore, revealing a new version after all these years would definitely be a big deal for Xbox fans.
