Xbox One Elite Controller Release Date Revealed by Retailers

[UPDATE] Microsoft has now confirmed that the Xbox One Elite controller will launch on October 27.

The original story is below.

It looks like the new Xbox One Elite controller will release on October 27. While Microsoft has yet to officially confirm the date, it's listed to launch then on a variety of major retailers, including Microsoft's own store. Previously, the $150 controller was confirmed only to launch sometime in October.

Xbox fans will no doubt recognize that October 27 isn't just a random Tuesday in October. It's the day that Halo 5: Guardians, one of Microsoft's biggest titles of the year and one with roots in the competitive gaming space, arrives on store shelves. It would appear that the two launching on the same day is no accident.

The Xbox One Elite controller, which also works on PC, is more than twice as expensive as the standard unit. For the premium price, you get a first-of-its-kind Xbox controller that features interchangeable rear paddles and hair trigger locks. It also lets you adjust the trigger minimum and maximum values, thumbstick sensitivity, and button assignments. In short, you can assign any of the controller's 14 different inputs to the ABXY buttons, paddles, D-pad, triggers, and thumbstick clicks.

Below is a list of everything that comes with the package.

• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller
• Carrying case
• Set of 4 paddles
• Set of 6 thumbsticks: standard (2), tall (2), and domed (2)
• Set of 2 D-pads: faceted and standard
• USB cable
• AA batteries
• Quick Setup Guide and Product Manual

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You can then save your custom controller profiles (as many as you'd like) to a special app; two profiles can be loaded onto the controller, and you can switch between them with a new Profile Switch system.

For a closer look at the controller, which also will come bundled with the $500 Xbox One Elite hardware package in November, click through the images in the gallery above.

Xbox One controllers with buttons on the back are apparently now all the rage, as both Razer and PowerA have announced their own high-end Xbox One pads with increased functionality.