“Xbox Controllers Still Use AA Batteries Due to ‘A Constant Agreement’ with Duracell,” Optional Stealthin the title reads. The headline highlights the vehicle’s recent interview with Duracell UK marketing manager Luke Anderson, who said Optional Stealth that “there has always been this partnership with Duracell and Xbox … It is a constant agreement that Duracell and Microsoft have in place”.
After this interview was published, several media outlets cited the article, theorizing that this could be the reason that Microsoft still uses AA batteries to power some of its wireless game controllers.
This is not true. “We intentionally offer consumers the choice of their battery solutions for our standard Xbox wireless controllers,” said a Microsoft spokesman. Eurogamer as a reason why your standard Xbox wireless controllers still use AA batteries instead of building a battery inside the controller.
“This includes the use of AA batteries of any brand, the Xbox rechargeable battery, charging solutions from our partners or a USB-C cable, which can power the controller when connected to the console or PC.”
Of course, this is not the first time that Microsoft has mentioned its decision to use AA batteries for some of its wireless controllers. Speaking with Digital Foundry in April, Xbox program management partner director Jason Ronald explained that a “large group of Xbox owners” still preferred to use batteries. Microsoft even said The Verge in 2018 that the dependence on standard battery controllers is due to the fact that the company likes to offer a choice to its player base.
I don’t mind using AA batteries in these controllers; I can understand the confusion that some may have about why Microsoft relies on batteries in its controllers when its competitors opt for built-in batteries that they charge using cables. It’s certainly not the most environmentally friendly option, but it does provide a happy middle ground for those who still prefer batteries, while also having an option for those who prefer to use a rechargeable battery.