Xbox Elite Series 3 leak: what Microsoft's own files show
A Reddit user found the Xbox Elite Series 3 in Microsoft's Design Lab backend: Hall effect or TMR sticks and new haptics, echoing May's Brazil filing.
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The Xbox Elite Series 3 has leaked again, this time from Microsoft's own servers: a Reddit user found component models and configuration records for an unreleased Elite controller, codenamed "Edessa," in the backend of Xbox Design Lab. The files list Hall effect and TMR stick options, new haptic motors and an audio scroll wheel, but no price and no date, and Microsoft has said nothing about them.
Key takeaways
- This is a leak, not an announcement. Microsoft has not commented on the files as of Oct. 6, 2026, and the source files appear to have been taken down.
- The Design Lab records describe a choice of Hall effect or TMR sticks, voice-coil haptic motors, a dedicated audio scroll wheel, three D-pad styles, three paddle styles and four retail versions.
- The details fit what Brazil's telecom regulator showed in May: scroll wheels, a cloud pairing button and a removable battery.
- No price or release date appeared anywhere. If your Elite Series 2 works, there's no reason to replace it yet.
What the Xbox Elite Series 3 files show
According to Engadget's report, Reddit user u/esketitethan posted in r/GamingLeaksAndRumours that the Design Lab backend held 16 3D component models for the controller, plus records for a related accessory codenamed "Beatrice." Design Lab is Microsoft's build-your-own-controller service, and it already sells custom versions of the Elite Series 2, so a new Elite showing up there is plausible.
Here is what the records describe, as reported. None of it is confirmed by Microsoft.
| Part | What the files list |
|---|---|
| Thumbsticks | A choice of Hall effect or TMR sensing, with different stick resistance |
| Haptics | Voice-coil actuator (VCA) motors |
| Audio | A dedicated audio scroll wheel |
| D-pad | Standard, cross and faceted options |
| Paddles | Standard, classic and doublewide, with 27 mapped topper and paddle configurations |
| Faceplates | Metal options, colors and engraving |
| Versions | Four combinations, including "Elite Complete" and "Elite Base," each with and without the motors |
The sticks are the headline for anyone who has fought stick drift. Hall effect and TMR (tunnel magnetoresistance) sensors both read the stick's position with magnets instead of parts that rub together, so they are designed to avoid the wear behind most drift complaints. Microsoft's Elite Series 2 product page talks about adjustable-tension thumbsticks with three settings, not magnetic sensing.
The haptics matter too. Engadget compares the voice-coil motors to the detailed vibration of Sony's DualSense, which can also rumble the triggers. That comparison is Engadget's reading of the parts list; nobody outside Microsoft has felt them.
How reliable is a Design Lab leak?
Fairly reliable for what exists, weaker for what ships. Files on Microsoft's own customization backend are harder to fake than a render or a supply chain rumor, and the specifics (codenames, SKU names, part counts) read like real internal records.
Still, a backend can hold options that get cut before launch, and names like "Elite Base" are working labels until a store page says otherwise. We could not view the original files ourselves: Engadget notes the sources listed in the post appear to have been removed. Treat the parts list as a strong signal of what Microsoft has worked on, not a final spec sheet.
What Microsoft has actually confirmed
Nothing. As of Oct. 6, 2026, Microsoft has not announced an Elite Series 3, commented on the Design Lab files, or responded publicly to the earlier leaks below. Every feature in this article comes from leaked records, regulator documents or a reported prototype, and the price and release date are blank in all three.
How it lines up with May's regulator filing
This is the third leak of the same controller this year, which some outlets call the Xbox Elite Controller 3. In May, images in Brazilian regulator Anatel's records showed a new Elite with two thumb-operated scroll wheels on the bottom edge, a new pairing button for switching between local and cloud play, a redesigned D-pad and, for the first time on an Elite, a removable rechargeable battery, as Engadget reported at the time. Brazil's Canaltech added that the documents point to Wi-Fi 6 and trigger locks.
Then in August, a buyer on OfferUp who thought they were getting an Elite Series 2 received what looked like an unreleased Elite 3 instead. Engadget's account lists Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, two scroll wheels, trigger locks and the cloud pairing button; the unit wouldn't pair with a console.
The Design Lab files add what the hardware leaks couldn't show: the stick sensors, the haptic motors and the version lineup. One small mismatch: Engadget describes "a dedicated audio scroll wheel" in the files, while Anatel's images showed two wheels. The files, as reported, don't say what the second wheel does.
Should you buy an Elite Series 2 now?
Our take: if your Elite Series 2 works, keep it and wait. The 2019 model launched on November 4, 2019 at US$179.99, per Microsoft's original announcement, and three separate leaks now point to a successor. The latest lists magnetic sticks designed to resist drift.
If your controller has died and you need one this week, buy what fits your budget, but check the store's return window first. An announcement could still be months away; nothing in the leaks gives a date. If you're mostly here for Xbox games rather than hardware, our look at Gears of War: E-Day on Series S covers the week's other big Xbox story.
What we still don't know
- Price. No figure appeared in the Design Lab records, the Anatel documents or the prototype.
- Release date. No date, window or preorder listing has surfaced.
- Which features ship in which version. The files list four versions, but not which stick type or accessories each one includes.
- What "Beatrice" is. Only its codename was reported.
Bottom line
The Xbox Elite Series 3 looks real and close to finished: Microsoft's own Design Lab backend, a Brazilian regulator and a stray prototype all describe the same controller. But it remains a leak, Microsoft hasn't commented, and the two things buyers care about most, price and date, are missing. Hold on to a working Elite Series 2, and watch for an official reveal on Xbox Wire. More video game coverage lives in our video games section.
FAQ
When is the Xbox Elite Series 3 coming out?
Microsoft hasn't announced a date as of Oct. 6, 2026. The controller has passed through Brazil's regulator and now appears in Design Lab's backend, which suggests it's far along, but no date or window has leaked.
How much will the Xbox Elite Series 3 cost?
Unknown. No price appeared in any of the leaks. For reference, the Elite Series 2 launched at US$179.99 in 2019.
Does the Xbox Elite Series 3 have Hall effect sticks?
The leaked Design Lab records list a choice of Hall effect or TMR sticks. That is not confirmed by Microsoft, and the files don't say which of the four versions get which sensor.