Xbox's Elite 3 pro controller will feature a built-in screen and other upgrades, according to leaked prototype

Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 in red (close-up).

Quick Summary

A new Xbox Elite controller has leaked, with hands-on images showing a prototype model with a small screen on the top.

Could this mean we're due an announcement soon?

It's been seven years since Xbox last released a pro controller, with the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 having remarkably made its bow in 2019. Now it looks like we're finally about to get a successor, with an alleged Elite 3 having appeared in hands-on images.

Redditor ssuberlex claimed to have bought a prototype Xbox controller for just $200 and posted pictures asking the community what it could be. The replies soon rolled in and it seems as if he's managed to snag a pre-production version of the next pro pad from Microsoft.

His Reddit post has since been deleted, but not before images were shared elsewhere (such as on The Verge). They show a similar controller to the Elite Series 2 but with a few differences – most notably a small display along the top.

This matches a diagram that leaked earlier this year, showing Xbox's intentions to include exactly that sort of screen.

(Image credit: ssuberlex / Reddit)

Other clues that this could be the real deal include scroll wheels on the bottom of the controller – which were also mentioned in the previous leak. And there's an additional wireless mode to pair the controller directly to a Wi-Fi network for cloud gaming, rather than having to pass through a console or device first.

This latter technology should reduce latency while playing as it eliminates one of the connectivity steps in the process of playing.

It seems this new pair button is also ranged on the top next to the new screen.

(Image credit: ssuberlex / Reddit)

It's not clear at the moment when the controller could be announced. The existence of this prototype suggests it could be soon, and considering Gamescom in set to take place in Cologne in just a couple of weeks, maybe we'll hear more then.

Considering how much I still use my Elite 2 seven years later, I'll be keeping a beady eye on the show to find out. It's arguably the best controller ever made, so it'll be interesting to see how all the upgrades pan out.