Xbox Elite 3 controller specs leaked via Xbox Design Lab
It may offer a choice of Hall effect or TMS joysticks and will use moving coil haptics.
Xbox’s Elite Controller Series 2 was released seven years ago but a new one is finally about to replace it, judging by recent leaks. Now, Redditor you/esketitethan pulled key product features directly from Microsoft by examining the Xbox Design Lab backend. The leak revealed that the controller (codenamed Edessa) will offer Hall effect and TMR sticks, advanced haptics, a dedicated audio scroll wheel and much more.
Xbox Design Lab is Microsoft’s online tool that allows gamers to customize their Elite Series 2 and other controllers. “There are configuration records and 16 actual 3D component models in the backend used by Xbox Design Lab,” the leaker wrote. “The controller is codenamed Edessa, linked to an accessory/customization product called Beatrice.” The sources are listed in the post, but appear to have since been deleted.
The last Elite controller used potentiometer analog sticks that can drift, but it appears the Elite Controller 3 model will use Hall effect and TMR sticks “suggesting a choice of magnetic sensing technology and stick resistance,” the leaker said. The haptics will also be upgraded with Advanced Haptic Engines (VCA), meaning it could use moving coil haptics and trigger vibrations like the PS5 DualSense controllers, rather than rumble motors like before.
Other key features include performance D-pads with “standard, crossover, and grip/faceted choices,” a dedicated audio scroll wheel, faceplate options (“metal, anmed patterns, expanded colors and engraving”), low-friction/quiet sticks, more paddle designs (“standard, classic, and double-wide paddles”), and 27 mapped topper and paddle configurations. There are four SKU combinations, including “Elite Complete” and “Elite Base,” with and without motors.
Take this leak with a big grain of salt, especially since the source files are no longer visible. Some Reddit users in the article were skeptical of Microsoft’s ability to build its own drift-free Hall effect joysticks, while others mocked the continued lack of a built-in gyroscope. We should find out very soon, as previous leaks (and the accidental sale of a seemingly real device) suggest that the Elite Controller 3 could be launching soon.
