Redditor buys what looks to be a prototype for unreleased Xbox Elite Series 3 controller, posts about it on Reddit, then the thread goes dark

Seven years have passed since the launch of the Xbox Elite Series 2, and anticipation is growing for a new model. A Redditor posted detailed information on what appears to be an unreleased prototype controller on Reddit, only for their account to disappear and the thread to be partially removed. The leaked images can be found on The Verge's Tom Warren's thread.

The poster bought the controller for $200 on OfferUp, a local marketplace, from someone in Seattle, which is Microsoft's headquarters. The controller bears similarities to the leaked design from May, featuring the same shape, trigger locks, rear paddle mounting, and battery bay. The face buttons are larger, and there is a screen between the bumpers, likely displaying a mono OLED.

The controller also includes a screen showing a basic game in a later comment. Reddit users have traced some URLs in the leaked photos to documents related to the controller's functionality, such as cloud gaming connectivity. The original poster confirmed that the paddles and d-pad have been removed, with the latter having a simpler rocking design.

The triggers are clicky once set to their shortest option. The controller also comes with a travel case, similar to previous generations. However, it does not work on Xbox or PC, and the user suggests it might be reserved for dev accounts only. The controller feels like a more advanced version of the Xbox Series X controller and is described as "pro and more clicky."