Microsoft's Xbox Elite Controller 3 is at the center of an accidental leak by a Brazilian regulator, revealing details about the peripheral to the public.
Xbox Elite Controller 3 Leaks From Brazilian Regulator
Brazilian regulator Anatel appears to have accidentally leaked images of the Xbox Elite Controller 3, which were then circulated by local tech site Tecnoblog, revealing the new controller from Microsoft.
The leak comes on the same day that Tecnoblog also published images of a separate unreleased Xbox peripheral, a compact gamepad presumed to be an Xbox Cloud Gaming controller.
Since at least one national regulator is currently reviewing the device, it suggests the product is close to hitting store shelves, according to Engadget.
Xbox's big summer showcase is just a few weeks away, but after today's leak, Microsoft may be inclined to make an official announcement sooner rather than later.
Xbox Elite Controller 3: What Are the New Features?
The leaked images showed several meaningful hardware updates compared to the current Elite Series 2. According to the leak, the controller features two scroll wheels at the bottom that could be operated by thumbs.
Next, a new pairing button on the front appears to have the capabilities to switch the device between local and cloud modes. The D-pad seems to also have been redesigned based on the leaked images.
One of the biggest changes here is the gamepad as it appears to be switching over to a removable, rechargeable battery, which has been a long-requested improvement from Elite controller users.
The upgrade is overdue as the second generation of the Elite controller debuted back in 2019 and became customizable through the Design Lab in 2022.
That makes this the first full hardware refresh in over six years, and based on what the leak shows, Microsoft has made some changes that could help improve the experience of using the peripheral.
