Redditor buys what looks to be a prototype Xbox Elite Series 3 controller, posts about it on Reddit, then the thread goes dark
A Redditor purchased what appears to be a prototype Xbox Elite Series 3 controller for $200 on OfferUp, a local marketplace app, and posted detailed images and information about the device on Reddit. The controller’s design closely matches a version previously leaked in May, suggesting the discovery provides authentic glimpses of Microsoft’s upcoming premium hardware. The unreleased pad features significant design changes from the Xbox Elite Series 2, which launched nearly seven years ago.
Shortly after the post gained traction, the original Reddit thread was mysteriously deleted along with the account of the user who posted it. However, images from the leaked controller were preserved in a separate thread shared by The Verge’s Tom Warren before the original post disappeared, allowing the gaming community to access the leak information despite the removal.
The discovery indicates that Microsoft’s next-generation Elite controller is likely in advanced development or approaching release, fulfilling years of speculation among Xbox fans awaiting a successor to the Elite Series 2. The apparent suppression of the leak through account and thread deletion suggests Microsoft may have taken action to limit the spread of unreleased hardware details, raising questions about how the prototype ended up in circulation through a secondhand marketplace.