White Xbox Elite Series 2 controller’s release date and price revealed

There’s a new version of the Xbox Elite controller in town. The gamepad, which is now available in two-tone colors, is white with black grips and is currently on pre-order.

That’s $50 less than the MSRP of the existing all-black version, which launched in late 2019 for $179.99. There’s a reason for that, and the “Core” in the name of the product hints at it: The white Elite Series 2 gamepad doesn’t come with most of the accessories that are included with the black model. Instead, what you get for $129.99 is the controller itself, a braided USB-C-to-USB-A cable, and a tool that allows you to adjust the tension of the gamepad’s thumbsticks — along with the same extended one-year warranty that Microsoft began offering for the black controller in 2020, after reports of hardware issues.

Wednesday’s announcement confirms multiple leaks over the past few months of a white Elite Series 2 controller. When Polygon asked if plans were made to offer the black Elite Series 2 model with a Core package that is cheaper, a Microsoft spokesperson said it was only the current white version.

The $129.99 Core set may contain all that you’re really looking for, especially if you’re a price-conscious gamer: It gives you a high-end controller for much less than these devices typically cost. (And it’s a smart way for Microsoft to try to undercut Sony’s upcoming answer to the Xbox Elite gamepads, the recently revealed DualSense Edge controller for PlayStation 5, whose price Sony has not yet announced.)

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Perhaps you don’t need four extra analog stick options, or four paddles for additional buttons, or a cross-shaped alternate D-pad. And if you do, you’ll have the option to get those accessories separately, in Microsoft’s new Complete Component Pack. The $59.99 package includes everything you need to use the Black Elite Series 2 Controller, as well as the case, charging dock, and all the accessories.

Now, you may already have done the mental math and realized that buying the white Core gamepad and the accessory bundle together would cost $189.98 — $9.99 more than the black Elite Series 2 controller, which, again, already comes with the accessories in question (and has been discounted quite a bit lower than the MSRP on multiple occasions over the past year). Asked for clarification, the Microsoft representative confirmed to Polygon that there’s no bundle discount.

“The ‘Core’ controller was essentially designed for players who want the Core [Elite Series 2] experience,” the spokesperson said. “The Complete Component pack was designed for those who want to add more interchangeable parts to the Core at a later time or have additional spare parts for their existing black ES2 controller.”

That means that if you want a white Elite Series 2 gamepad as well as the accessory pack, you’ll have to pay 10 bucks extra. But soon, the Core package won’t be the only way to get Microsoft’s pro controller in white — or any number of colors, for that matter. On Wednesday, the company announced that Xbox Elite Series 2 controllers will now be available for customers to design in their Xbox Design Lab. This is effective from this holiday season. This has been the “number one fan request” since that program debuted in 2016, according to Microsoft. The company did not announce pricing; asked for details, the Microsoft representative told Polygon that further information will be announced “at a later date.”