Next-gen Xbox controller reportedly leaked by Microsoft exec's kid

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Could the Xbox Series X also come in white? It's the question that's been electrifying the gamer realm after a photo leak of a white next-gen Xbox controller went viral on Reddit, BGR reported.

In the now-deleted Reddit post, Xbox fans also speculated that the white controller could be the companion of the long-rumored Xbox Series S -- Microsoft's digital-only, next-gen console.

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The white Xbox Series X (or S) controller

Xbox Series X white controller

White Xbox  (Image credit: Wolfy_Wizzardo/Reddit)

The photo of the white next-gen Xbox controller was reportedly taken by a partygoer, according to Thurrott. He or she was a guest at a party hosted by the progeny of a Microsoft executive. Under the moniker Wolfy_Wizzardo, the leaker told Redditors that the cardboard box situated next to the white controller is a pizza box from the party.

As the photo leak spread like wildfire, Wolfy_Wizzardo deleted the post as well as his or her account.

We can tell that this is a next-gen Xbox controller because it features the new D-pad and share button.

Some speculated that the white controller is an indication that the Xbox Series X could also come in white. Others, on the other hand, theorized that the controller is associated with the Xbox Series S. The latter theory is more credible -- news outlets reported that take-home testing for the Xbox Series S controller began in April.

"Or [maybe] they are doing the same thing they did with the Xbox One at release and doing a special white version for employees only," a Redditor named keelar suggested. When the Xbox One was released in 2013, Microsoft gifted full-time Xbox workers with a white, employee-only console.

Still, our money is on the controller being an Xbox Series S device. The Xbox Series S, codenamed Xbox Lockheart, is reportedly more affordable than the Xbox Series X, but it is less powerful than its Series X counterpart. 

Rumors suggest that the Xbox Series S will have four teraflops of computing power, which is less than the Series X's six teraflops, but more potent than the Xbox One.

The leaker described the design of the next-gen white console

Before Wolfy_Wizzardo could delete his or her account, The Verge reached out to the leaker. He or she revealed that the controller's accompanying console is, indeed, white and "looked more squarish" than the Xbox Series X. 

Wolfy_Wizzardo's description sounds similar to an Xbox Series S concept that was posted on Reddit in April.

Xbox Series S white console

(Image credit: jiveduder/Reddit)

For the sake of budget-friendly gamers, we hope that the Xbox Series S is not just a rumor. The Xbox Series X -- the most powerful next-gen console -- will be pricey, so perhaps the Xbox Series S will give gamers a much-needed break on their pockets.

Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!