Microsoft already showed off its nostalgic Xbox X25 controller earlier this year. What it didn’t tell players was exactly when they could buy one — or how much the thing would cost.
Those missing details may have just slipped out.
New reports claim the Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition will cost $79.99 in the US, with pre-orders potentially opening on August 26, 2026. The controller is reportedly scheduled for release on October 20, 2026. European pricing is said to be €79.99, while the UK price could land at £74.99. For now, those dates and prices should still be treated as leaked information rather than Microsoft’s final word.
Xbox X25 Controller Could Cost $79.99
At $79.99, the Xbox X25 controller wouldn’t be cheap, but the price isn’t especially surprising either. Microsoft’s standard Xbox Wireless Controller currently starts at $64.99 in the US, while some special-edition models are already sitting around the $79.99 mark.
This isn’t really a controller being sold on new technology, anyway. The hook is sitting right there in the shell.
Microsoft built the X25 as a celebration of 25 years of Xbox, covering it in translucent OG Green and pulling visual details from the company’s first console. It looks like something that could have been sitting beside a CRT television in 2001, except it has the shape and controls of a modern Xbox gamepad.
And yes, that’s probably enough to get collectors interested.
The October 20 Release Date Hasn’t Been Confirmed Yet
The leak points toward October 20 as the Xbox X25 controller release date, while pre-orders are reportedly planned for August 26, putting the announcement right around Gamescom 2026.
Microsoft hasn’t officially confirmed those details as of August 20. Its own Xbox page still lists the controller as “Coming Soon,” while the original announcement only confirmed that the X25 controller would eventually be sold separately from the anniversary console collection.
That distinction matters. The controller itself isn’t a rumor. Microsoft revealed it during the Xbox Games Showcase in June. It’s the leaked price, preorder timing and October date that remain unofficial.
The Design Goes Heavy on Original Xbox Nostalgia
Microsoft wasn’t subtle with this one.
The X25 controller uses a translucent OG Green case with the classic colored ABXY buttons. Its bumpers are black and white, deliberately calling back to the black and white buttons found on the original Xbox’s famously oversized Duke controller. Even the back case and battery door are transparent, exposing another classic Xbox logo underneath.
There’s also a green Xbox button inspired by the glowing green “X” associated with the original machine.
For anyone who owned an Xbox during the Halo and Project Gotham Racing years, the references aren’t exactly difficult to spot. That’s the point.
This Is More Collector Piece Than Controller Upgrade
Don’t expect the X25 to suddenly reinvent Microsoft’s gamepad.
Xbox’s official material has focused almost entirely on the anniversary design rather than announcing major new hardware features. The X25 is essentially about celebrating the brand’s history through the existing Xbox Wireless Controller format.
That makes the reported $79.99 price interesting. You’re paying a premium over Microsoft’s basic $64.99 wireless controller, but not jumping into Elite Controller territory.
Whether translucent green plastic and 25 years of nostalgia are worth the extra cash is going to be a very personal calculation. For Xbox collectors, Microsoft probably doesn’t need to make a particularly difficult sales pitch.
Xbox Series X25 Console Is Still Coming in November
The controller isn’t Microsoft’s only anniversary hardware.
The Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition was revealed alongside it, using the same translucent OG Green aesthetic. The console includes 1TB of storage, a glowing green X and Xbox 25th Anniversary branding. Microsoft says the console and controller collection will arrive in select markets in November 2026, while the controller will also be available separately.
Microsoft still hasn’t announced an official price for the X25 console. The company previously said pricing and preorder information would be shared later.
So there are really two dates to watch now. October could belong to the controller if the leak holds up. November belongs to the console.
Gamescom Could Be Where Microsoft Makes It Official
August 26 is the date worth circling.
The leaked preorder timing lines up with Gamescom, making the event an obvious place for Microsoft to finally put a price and firm release date on the X25 controller. Until that happens, $79.99 and October 20 remain reported details, not officially confirmed specifications.
Still, the pieces fit together unusually well. Microsoft has already revealed the hardware, its own product page is live, and the company has promised more availability information.
Now Xbox fans mostly need the buy button.