Xbox's New Hardware Leaks Online In Early First Look

Xbox is set to unveil more information later this year about the upcoming Project Helix which is, if you don’t know, the company’s next-gen console.

It’s not the only hardware that’s seemingly on the way though, as images revealing the Xbox Elite 3 controller have surfaced online.

Technoblog was the first to share the images of what is clearly the successor to 2019’s Xbox Elite Controller 2.

The Elite is Xbox’s answer to a pro controller so while it demands a high price point, you are getting bonus features like mappable buttons, for example.

The supposed Xbox Elite Controller 3 doesn’t look all that dissimilar from a normal Xbox controller albeit with, as mentioned, those mappable buttons on the back.

It also boasts three new features, although the full extent of those features remains unclear.

Xbox Is Doing Away With Regular Batteries, It Seems

There are two scroll wheels situated on the underside of the controller, but it’s not obvious what those are for.

I suppose your thumbs could use them to scroll up and down based on the positioning but that doesn’t seem advantageous over just using the thumbsticks, so we’ll need to wait for an official explanation.

Elsewhere, the leaked images reveal a new pairing button which’ll seemingly allow the user to switch between local and cloud mode.

The controller also features a rechargeable battery which is great to see. Fair to say, I think many of us have resented Xbox’s reliance on regular ol’ batteries for quite a number of years.

No pricing has leaked, but you should expect the Xbox Elite Controller 3 to be costly. For comparison, the Xbox Elite Controller 2 launched at $179.99 / £159.99.

This successor will likely exceed that - hopefully not by too much though, as gamers don’t seem that impressed at this point in time.

“Ngl doesn't look as fancy as series two, speaking of appearance,” remarked one Reddit user.

“All I want is an Elite 2 without quality issues, less weight, and hall effect sticks,” added another.

“With the shoulder buttons constantly breaking and third party controllers just having equal or better features for a fraction of the price, I really don’t see the appeal of this,” someone wrote.

Admittedly, this could be a prototype. We really don’t know at which point in the development process this photo was taken, so do take everything with a pinch of salt.

That doesn’t rule out this being the final product, ready to ship to market.

Whatever is the case, we’ll be hearing more about the future of Xbox in just a few weeks time at the annual Xbox Showcase.

That is to be held on Sunday 7 June at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST and will be followed by the Gears of War: E-Day Direct.

We’ll be covering the event live, bringing you the latest trailers, updates, and world premieres.

READ MORE: Xbox Free System Update Adds One Of The PS5's Best Features