Someone bought a broken Xbox Elite 3 prototype for $200 on OfferUp
Microsoft's next premium Xbox controller has surfaced in the wild — not at a press event, but on OfferUp. A Reddit user going by u/ssuberlex paid $200 for what turned out to be a non-functional prototype of the Xbox Elite Series 3, confirming the controller is real and far enough along in development to have escaped the supply chain. The Elite Series 2 has been the only option in this tier since 2019, currently priced at $199 in the US and £159 in the UK.
The hardware
Photos from the Reddit post (deleted) match images published in May by Brazilian outlet Technoblog, which obtained them from national telecoms regulator Anatel. A "Not for Sale" marking on an internal component confirms pre-production status. The standout additions: a small display positioned between the triggers (likely showing battery level, though its exact purpose is unconfirmed), a removable rechargeable battery replacing the AA slot, a QR code linking to a repair guide, and Torx T6 screws throughout. That last pair of details signals a deliberate push toward repairability — a notable shift for a controller that previously required proprietary tools to open.
As for the prototype itself, it doesn't work. "It doesn't connect to Xbox or cable. Just blinks a red light and nothing happens through wire or wireless," the buyer wrote. The post was pulled shortly after going up, which most observers took as a sign the leak was genuine rather than staged.
What this means
Per Notebookcheck, Windows Central's Jez Corden had already placed the Elite 3 on a 2026 release timeline, and the prototype sighting fits that window. Earlier leaks also pointed to a dedicated cloud gaming mode button — aligning with Microsoft's broader push toward streaming under its Project Helix strategy.
No official Microsoft comment has come out yet, and key details remain open: exact price, retail availability, and what that small screen actually does. If the end-of-2026 window holds, an announcement shouldn't be far off. At $199, the Series 2 has aged well enough to stay on shelves — but for anyone holding out for a refresh, this is the clearest sign yet that one is coming.