Mystery Xbox Series controller leaked online in white

A new Xbox controller leaked this week with photos showing changes from the original that are ever-so-slight yet significant enough to note. This device seems to be reminiscent of an Xbox Series X controller, but here the controller is white – not black – and has a slightly different feel to it. Of course, the only time most gamers have been allowed to see the next-gen controller from Microsoft is from afar.

The photo of this controller came from a Reddit user by the name of Wolfy_Wizzardo. This user suggested that he'd snapped the photo at "a party in Washington state hosted by the child of a Microsoft employee." The Verge noted that the Reddit account had been

commenting and posting about topics in Seattle, Washington for months" before deleting their account this week.

The Reddit user also claimed that the controller "looked more squarish [than the current Xbox Wireless controller] and the Xbox button looked bigger on it." This does not mean that this is the final design of the console's controller, but COULD mean that Microsoft employees are testing the new controller at home before launch.

It's entirely possible that this controller was connected to an Xbox Series X in early production mode. A Microsoft employee could very well have an early Xbox Series X console at home, able to play games offline. A white Xbox Series X console wouldn't be all that odd, given Microsoft's willingness to sell alternate colors for their consoles, and their past tendency to deliver alternate colors to employees at (or just before) launch of a new console.

Take a peek at the Xbox tag portal here on SlashGear and you'll see a wide variety of console colors delivered in the last decade from Microsoft. Black generally comes first, then white, then bloody red! Don't forget the blood, and the scratches!