Leak Shows Xbox Elite 3 Controller

Microsoft’s next high-end Xbox controller may have surfaced in public by accident.

Reports indicate Brazil’s Anatel regulator published images of what appears to be the Xbox Elite 3 controller, only hours after a smaller Xbox Cloud Gaming controller also appeared online. Tecnoblog posted the images, which seem to show a follow-up to the current Elite 2 with familiar premium hardware and at least one notable change.

The leaked device appears to retain the Elite line’s signature setup: an interchangeable D-pad, rear paddles, and the modular design that targets players who want more control over how a controller feels and responds. But the images also point to two new buttons, and that detail now drives the biggest question around the leak. Microsoft has not explained their purpose, and the available material does not confirm how the buttons would work in games or system menus.

The leak suggests Microsoft is refining its premium controller formula rather than replacing it outright.

The timing matters. Two separate controller leaks in the same day suggest Microsoft may have multiple input devices in the pipeline, potentially aimed at different audiences. One appears geared toward cloud gaming, while the Elite branding points to the company’s premium tier for enthusiast players. Even so, leaked hardware images rarely tell the full story. Sources suggest design choices can shift before launch, and unfinished documentation often leaves out the features that matter most.

What happens next depends on whether Microsoft moves to formally announce the device or lets the leak sit unanswered. Either way, the images have already signaled the company’s direction: keep the Elite controller’s core identity, then layer on new inputs that could expand customization. For Xbox players, that matters because the controller often shapes the feel of the platform as much as the console itself.