Thinking about purchasing an Xbox Elite Controller for your Xbox One or gaming on Windows? Don’t, because leaked photos indicate Microsoft has a new Xbox Elite Controller planned.
Leaked photos of what’s being called the 2nd Generation Xbox Elite Controller surfaced on Baidu earlier today and were collected and posted to the r/XboxOne Reddit community soon after. The Xbox Elite Controller is Microsoft’s most expensive, most feature-packed controller. The current version has removable thumbsticks, trigger locks, paddles, an onboard profile switch and rubber grips. It also comes with a 10-foot micro-USB cable and a carry case.
It looks like Microsoft will take the Elite Controller in some very interesting directions soon. According to the posted leak, this new version switches out the earlier model’s micro-USB port for a USB Type-C port. That might allow for faster charging. You charge this model instead of adding a rechargeable battery pack or another set of AA batteries. Allegedly, this new model also has improved paddles on the back and adds a third-option for the trigger locks that the current model doesn’t have. You need an Xbox Wireless adapter to use today’s Elite controller wirelessly, but this new controller has Bluetooth connectivity, allegedly.
Ordinarily, I don’t give rumors and leaks much play. However, Microsoft filed patents on some of the technology included in this controller last year, according to The Verge. Also, a refreshed Xbox Elite Controller seems like a given now that even a basic Xbox One console bundle has a controller with Bluetooth built-in. The Verge says that its sources have confirmed the images are genuine. Also, Reddit user EDDS86 posted what they claimed were leaked photos of a new Elite Controller a day ago.
I said this in my Xbox Elite Controller review and I’ll say it again. I only felt ashamed spending $150 on the controller at the store. I’ve not regretted the purchase since.
