Microsoft’s next Xbox controller strategy has leaked ahead of any official announcement, with images obtained from Brazilian regulatory filings revealing two unannounced devices: a compact cloud gaming-focused gamepad and what appears to be the long-rumoured Xbox Elite Series 3. The cloud controller looks distinctly smaller than a normal Xbox controller, with a shape that feels more like something from 8BitDo or Backbone rather than Microsoft’s usual design language, while the familiar Xbox button layout remains, with the overall body looking designed for streaming and portability.
The new controller features a smaller design, a rechargeable internal battery, Bluetooth connectivity, and for the first time, built-in Wi-Fi. It has Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6 for 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections, a 500mAh battery, and its chip is Realtek’s RTL8730E with two 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A7 cores. A USB-C port sits at the top edge alongside a pairing button. The inclusion of direct Wi-Fi connectivity is the most significant technical feature of the leak. The controller can supposedly connect directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming servers instead of routing inputs through a phone, tablet, or PC first, eliminating unnecessary hops between button presses and the game server to reduce latency. Google attempted something similar with the Stadia controller, and the approach is designed to address the one consistent criticism that has followed cloud gaming since its earliest iterations: input lag.
Two other details stand out as meaningful departures from Microsoft’s existing controller philosophy. The leaked cloud controller is equipped with a built-in 500mAh rechargeable battery and USB-C charging, another departure from Microsoft’s long-standing reliance on AA batteries. There also appears to be a visual indicator area that could separate standard Xbox use from Xbox Cloud Gaming mode, which would make the controller functionally different from the standard Xbox Wireless Controller in a way that goes beyond just connectivity. On the Elite Series 3, the leak mentions a removable 1,528mAh rechargeable battery unlike the larger internal pack found in the Elite Series 2, and a dedicated button to switch between cloud and local modes, allowing players to move from console gaming to cloud streaming more quickly.
There are currently no public regulatory filings for the cloud controller at the Federal Communications Commission, meaning that despite the images, the device has not yet entered the formal United States approval process, though seeing as these devices have already appeared in Brazilian regulatory filings, it is likely Microsoft will not be waiting long to make them official. The Xbox Games Showcase in June is widely considered the most likely venue for Microsoft to formally unveil both controllers, with the regulatory filing leak almost certainly accelerating whatever announcement timeline the company had originally planned.
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