XBOX Elite Series 3 Controller Pops Up on OfferUp

A $200 secondhand purchase may have given Xbox fans their clearest look yet at Microsoft's next Elite controller.

Sometimes a gaming hardware leak comes from an insider. Sometimes it comes from a retailer accidentally listing a product too early. And sometimes, apparently, someone finds the thing sitting on OfferUp for $200. That is what happened with Microsoft's rumored XBOX Elite Series 3 controller.

A buyer picked up what they believed was an interesting XBOX controller through the secondhand marketplace before realizing that it appeared to be something much more unusual. They later posted pictures on Reddit while trying to identify exactly what they had bought. The images quickly caught attention because the controller appears to match several details that have previously been linked to the Elite Series 3.

One of the most noticeable features is the pair of scroll wheels positioned on the bottom of the controller. Those wheels have already appeared in earlier regulatory information and leaked images, so seeing them on what looks like an actual physical unit adds another interesting piece to the puzzle. And that is only the beginning.

The controller reportedly includes Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an interchangeable D-pad, rear paddles, two scroll wheels and adjustable trigger locks. There also appears to be a new pairing button that could let players switch between local and cloud gaming modes to reduce latency when using XBOX Cloud Gaming.

For a controller that was not meant to be floating around yet, it seems to have a lot going on.

The $200 price tag makes the story even stranger. That is around the sort of money expected for a premium Elite controller, which raises the question: did the seller actually know what they had, or did they get rid of a piece of hardware without realizing its significance?

There is no confirmed explanation for how the controller ended up on OfferUp. It could have come from someone who had access to Microsoft hardware, a development unit that escaped the normal process, or something else entirely. The possibility of it being a prototype makes the whole situation considerably more interesting.

There's still plenty of cause for skepticism here, as Microsoft has yet to make an official announcement on the Elite Series 3. Prototype hardware can change before launch, and leaked devices do not necessarily represent the final retail product. Still, this isn't just another rumor floating around online. Someone appears to have a physical controller with several features that line up with what has previously been reported about Microsoft's next Elite model.

The timing is also worth keeping an eye on. Gamescom is coming later this month, and Microsoft has used the event for hardware and game announcements in the past. If the Elite Series 3 really is getting close to release, the event could be a surprisingly good place for Microsoft to pull back the curtain finally.

For now, one lucky buyer may simply be sitting on one of the strangest XBOX finds of the year. A $200 OfferUp purchase turning into an unannounced controller prototype? That's one way to win the secondhand shopping lottery. But if this really is the Elite Series 3, how long can Microsoft keep it hidden?