It’s been a controversial topic over the years
We’ve just been looking over some old Pure Xbox content this afternoon from when the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S were first released, and it had totally slipped our minds how the use of AA batteries was a big talking point back then.
If we go back to March 2020 – which is when Pure Xbox relaunched after multiple years away – we polled the community on how they felt about the new controller still requiring AA batteries as the default (with rechargeable ones as an option), and the reaction was very mixed – some loved having the choice, while others thought it was terrible.
We did it again in 2021 when a Duracell spokesperson seemed to suggest that a “constant agreement” was in place between the company and Microsoft to use AA batteries, and the poll results were very much along the same lines.
It remains to be seen when we’ll be getting the next generation of Xbox controller(s) from Microsoft, but whenever that redesign is formally unveiled, its going to be fascinating to see whether they’re sticking with AA batteries again, especially considering both PlayStation and Nintendo have shied away from AAs for well over a decade at this point.
So, let’s run this poll once more! Below, tell us your thoughts about whether Xbox should support AA batteries in the next official controller design, and feel free to elaborate in the comments section.
What did you pick in the poll? Let us know!
Fraser is the News Editor at Pure Xbox, where he spends his time reporting on the biggest stories in the world of Xbox and beyond.
