Rumor: Leaked Xbox Controller Sebile May Still Be On Track For A May Reveal

gameranx.com:

We have a surprising new rumor about a product that many gamers thought had already been cancelled.

On the latest episode of the XboxEra podcast, Tom Warren showed up in chat to answer a question raised in a Superchat. When DrewBus asked in their Superchat if Microsoft could release an Elite Series 3 Controller this year, Tom said this:

“new Xbox controller is supposed to be announced in May, ahead of June showcase.”

Tom did not confirm that the new controller is Sebile, but the circumstantial evidence points to it being the case. We initially reported on Sebile last November, as it was leaked alongside plans for a new generation of Xbox Series hardware. When later rumors came out that that new Xbox Series hardware was cancelled, in favor of an early jump to next generation in 2026, it sounded like the controller was cancelled as well. So this new rumor is a revelation.

For a definitive review of Sebile’s rumored features, we’ll look at coverage from The Verge. The more obvious features put it in line with the DualSense – haptic feedback, and an accelerometer. Note that having an accelerometer is not the same as having the full motion control experience from a gyroscope, as you can get from a Nintendo Switch, or a Steam Deck.

The leaked document mentioned modular thumbsticks, but makes no mention of hall effect triggers or sticks. Hall effect controls are one of the most popular requests from gamers, with the expectation that the technology would extend their controller longevity.

Xbox Wireless 2 and Bluetooth 5.2 would be definitive improvements in connectivity, but Direct-To-Cloud could be a gamechanger – it could mean a Game Pass subscriber could just buy this controller in lieu of a console, and stream their Game Pass games on a monitor, assuming it was capable of running Game Pass on its own. But even just having it run off your PC would also be a huge step forward.

Seamless Pair and Switch suggests that there may be a slider or some other physical control so