The latest big hint for Xbox’s next hardware push all lies in a supposed sequel to the Elite Series 2 controller. And judging by leaks, it’s the kind of gamepad built to cater to two opposite ends of the Xbox identity: hardcore console players and casual cloud gamers alike.
Leaked images of the supposed Xbox Elite Series 3 controller first surfaced in a since-deleted Reddit post. The Redditor claimed they spent $200 on OfferUp as a blind box, not knowing they were purchasing a yet-unreleased high-end gamepad. The pictures are all available online, showing us a new satellite dish-like d-pad and a removable, rechargeable battery. It has back paddles, hair trigger switches, and everything else you’d expect on an expensive controller. It also has a few odd features—namely scroll wheels and an extra screen—which have us scratching our heads.
LEAKED | New photos of Xbox Elite 3 Controller
• The new pair button appears to show text in a ticker/scroll style.
• Different designed D-pad from the first leak photos
• Confirmed scroll wheels at the bottom.
• It doesn’t seem to work wired or wireless through an Xbox and… https://t.co/bAchdtOHeQ pic.twitter.com/bNjT3qPGRG— Idle Sloth (@IdleSloth84_) August 11, 2026
The new leaks compound on earlier images divulged through Brazil’s telecommunications regulatory agency, Anatel. There, we got the first hints of the controller’s twin scroll wheels and removable battery. But why? What would most users possibly use a scroll wheel for outside of PCs? Why not employ a trackpad a la Valve’s Steam Controller to make navigating via mouse controls easier?
The answer may be a little more complicated. The added screen reveals that this is a controller meant for several different modes of play and not just between Xbox and PC. Users can connect to Xbox Cloud Gaming servers when playing on a non-Xbox console. In an ideal world, this would allow for less lag between your inputs and the games you’re playing. There’s an additional “pair” button that would likely let you swap between your PC, console, or other cloud-based device.
The images leaked by the now-deleted Reddit post showcase the little rocket ship that appears on the splash screen when launching into Xbox Cloud Gaming. All this info together means we can be relatively confident that this controller is meant as a hybrid Xbox and cloud controller. That in itself is interesting, considering how Xbox desperately wants users to care about hardware again.
Xbox is trying to find its footing after a few rough months. Teams across the company and its owned studios have been hammered with layoffs. Amid this tide of layoffs and studio closures, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been vocal about the need to emphasize Xbox as a console-first experience again. That doesn’t mean cloud gaming has dropped off the map just yet.
Discounting limited edition transparent green Series X consoles, the upcoming Elite 3 controller is Xbox’s first new piece of gaming hardware in years. It’s a piece of gear that will transition from the current Series generation to Xbox Project Helix—a supposedly powerful and likely ultra-expensive console built to run both older Xbox titles and all your other PC games.
In the meantime, on the Game Pass front, Sharma’s Xbox has tried rolling back on promises for day-one titles while dropping the price of the Ultimate subscription tier to $22 a month. The company has also started experimenting with free, ad-based cloud gaming. Xbox’s ideal gamer is one who uses this same controller for when they don’t have their console or PC nearby and when they’re sitting comfortably across from their home Xbox.
We have to ask, though: How many cloud-first gamers are willing to spend a bunch of money on a high-end controller just to play cloud games? We’ll have to hear Xbox’s side of things if or when it finally offers us the full scope of its controller and—by extension—its next-gen console.
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