Pro Controller Weekly Roundup Vol. 9: Xbox Elite 3 Leaks, Gears of War Collab & the Phantom Blade Zero Rush
Hey everyone — welcome back to Pro Controller Weekly Roundup Vol. 9!
Every week, we collect the latest updates from the gaming controller industry: new hardware announcements, upcoming releases, collaborations, and interesting trends worth watching.
This week's roundup covers:
Source credit: This weekly roundup is based on information shared by Bilibili creator "椒盐橘子桔子". GadgetHyper has received permission to summarize and share these updates with our community. Elite Series 3 leak coverage via The Verge.
Let's get into this week's news!
Xbox Elite Series 3 Prototype Leaks — Bought for $200 on OfferUp
The wildest story of the week: a Redditor picked up what is almost certainly an Xbox Elite Series 3 prototype for $200 on OfferUp — and posted a pile of legitimate-looking photos, which The Verge covered in detail. The unit doesn't actually work (blinking red light, won't pair wired or wireless), and everything is stamped "NOT FOR SALE" with placeholder regulatory IDs — a prototype in every sense.
The headline feature is a small built-in screen — a first for an official Xbox controller. It matches a diagram from the earlier Brazilian regulator (Anatel) leak in May, right down to a mode-switch dialogue with a new "Pair Button" beside it. In one photo the screen shows the little Xbox Cloud Gaming rocket ship next to an Xbox Series X; in another it displays a URL pointing to a Microsoft cloud resource that no one outside can open — which, oddly, makes the whole thing more believable.
That May regulatory leak had already hinted at the rest: two new scroll wheels on the bottom edge, and a second wireless mode that connects directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming servers, with the Pair Button switching between cloud and console. The new photos add four rear paddles, a detachable D-pad (a different design than the May leak), clicky triggers when locked to the hair-trigger position, a carrying case, and a removable 5.8Wh battery.
And the most quietly interesting detail: inside the battery compartment, Microsoft appears to have made the pad home-repairable — a QR code that presumably leads to a repair site, and standard Torx T6 screws.
Nothing is official, and prototypes change before retail — but between the screen, scroll wheels and direct-to-cloud mode, the "is this just a refresh?" debate is starting to look settled in the wrong direction.
A screen, scroll wheels, and a direct line to Xbox Cloud Gaming would make this far more than "Series 2.5" — and the repair-friendly touches (QR code, standard Torx screws) might be the most consumer-friendly surprise in the whole leak.
Also, somewhere out there is a person who sold a $200 paperweight that turned out to be the most leaked controller of the year. Ouch.
Xbox Reveals a Gears of War Collaboration Controller — Two Designs
Xbox's first-party collaboration streak continues with a new Gears of War controller, coming in two different visual designs. Of the two shown, one goes noticeably bolder on the artwork, while the other plays it more understated — so there's a flavor for both kinds of fan.
Say what you want about Xbox hardware cycles: their first-party collab designs have been consistently sharp, and this one keeps the streak alive.
Two design options is a smart move for a franchise collab — the loud one for the collectors, the quiet one for the people who actually have to look at it every day.
Phantom Blade Zero Is Getting Controller Collabs From Flydigi AND GameSir
Phantom Blade Zero is clearly the game to partner with right now: both Flydigi and GameSir announced tie-in controllers in the same window.
Flydigi followed up with a teaser poster showing two controllers, and the silhouettes look a lot like the Apex and Direwolf families. Community speculation says the Apex-shaped one could be the still-unannounced Apex 6 — detailed internal images of a new Apex model leaked not long ago, and Flydigi's yearly release cadence says a launch can't be far off. The Direwolf-shaped one is more likely the current Direwolf 4, since a Direwolf 5 would be much further out.
GameSir's version is likely a G7 Pro 8K edition: Phantom Blade Zero isn't launching on Xbox at first, which makes an Xbox-licensed collab less probable, and the G7 Pro 8K is already GameSir's go-to collab base.
Two major brands racing to attach themselves to the same game tells you everything about Phantom Blade Zero's momentum.
The real headline might be hiding in that silhouette: if that's the Apex 6, Flydigi's next flagship is closer than anyone expected.
LEADJOY Details the Xeno Pro: Kailh Micro Switches Everywhere and Four Motors
More details have landed for the LEADJOY Xeno Pro — the controller that opened public beta recruitment in last week's roundup:
Every button on the pad is a micro switch, and all from Kailh — no rubber dome lottery anywhere. The sticks support tension adjustment, and there are four motors in total: two in the grips, two in the triggers.
On pricing: LEADJOY's CEO says the bump over the Xeno Plus won't be big, and current speculation points to roughly $79.99. Nothing official yet — but if that number holds, a full micro-switch, adjustable-tension, trigger-rumble pad at that price would be extremely hard to beat.
Kailh micro switches across the board is a meaningful consistency upgrade — no mixed-button feel between face buttons, shoulders, and D-pad.
If the rumored price lands, the Xeno Pro would undercut most of its direct competition. Public beta feedback should surface soon — we'll be watching.
Beitong's Kunpeng 70 Gets a Refresh — Black Grips at Last
Beitong has announced an upgraded iteration of the Kunpeng 70 (KP70), officially billed as a "6D" upgrade version. Based on what's been shown, it looks like the standard-edition counterpart of the earlier Neverness to Everness collab model.
The change owners will actually feel: the rubberized grips are now black, replacing the lighter version that had everyone worrying about yellowing and grime. Small tweak, genuine quality-of-life win.
One naming note: based on Beitong's overseas naming pattern (the KP40's refresh became the KP40D), this one will likely land as the "KP70D" — that's our speculation, not an official name, until Beitong confirms it. Meanwhile, the current Beitong Kunpeng 70 is available now.
Black grips are the quiet fix everyone asked for — light-colored rubber looks great on day one and rough by month six.
That's It for This Week!
The themes we're taking away from this week:
- Xbox Elite Series 3 prototype leaks — screen, scroll wheels, direct-to-cloud wireless
- First-party collabs stay strong (Gears of War, two designs)
- Phantom Blade Zero is the collab magnet of the moment
- Xeno Pro is shaping up to be a value monster — if the rumored price holds
As always, specs are only part of the story. The real question is how these controllers perform in everyday gaming.
What controller news caught your attention this week? Drop your thoughts below!
See you next week for another Pro Controller Weekly Roundup.
Missed last week? Catch up on Pro Controller Weekly Roundup Vol. 8.
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