One gamer ordered a single XBOX Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition and opened a box containing six. The most likely explanation in the Reddit comments is boring. Someone in a warehouse scanned a sealed case pack as one unit, and a stranger came up with $480 anniversary hardware for the price of one.
The comments were not only about whether the buyer deserved his luck. Many people wanted to know where they could get one for themselves. I find the begging more telling than the suspicion, because no one pleads with strangers for a replacement gamepad, unless the gamepad looks like 2001 in green plastic, and that pull is what Microsoft wants you to pay $79.99 for. My job here is to find out how much of the price something buys over memory.
Green you can see through
XBOX Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition
Start with the bumpers. Microsoft colored them black and white as a nod to the two extra face buttons on the original “Duke” controller, before the 360 moved them to the shoulders. Most buyers miss the reference. You won’t, and the X25 was made for you.
The battery door is where I keep looking. Microsoft says it’s the first translucent battery door it’s shipped, and with the back case also very clear, showing the classic XBOX logo through the plastic. Jason Ronald, VP of Next Generation, described the controller as “revealing 25 years of gaming inside.” Nice line. What’s inside, mostly, is a pair of AA cells.
A green XBOX button and the original ABXY colors complete the costume.
The best extra doesn’t appear on the product page at all. Players who have already paired one with an XBOX series console report that it recognizes the controller and unlocks an exclusive dynamic background without redeeming a code, the same trick the 20th anniversary pad pulled. One commentator dismissed it as unfortunate.
AA batteries in 2026
Power still comes from AAs, rated for up to 40 hours by Microsoft’s own tests on preproduction units. No refillable pack is mentioned anywhere on the listing.
Microsoft hasn’t mentioned thumbstick upgrades, despite the steady stream of stick-drift complaints. Then there is the order mess. The Reddit post about the buyer who received six controllers attracted responses from people with canceled pre-orders and one person who reported being charged twice without receiving a shipping notification.
Some players would rather have the simpler look of the 20th edition. I get the appeal of the X25’s green finish, but $79.99 is a lot to spend on looks alone.
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Have you sealed the 20th anniversary controller yet? Then you already understand the appeal of another limited edition Xbox pad. Microsoft has a matching console background for Series X and Series S, plus Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth support for PC.
My guess for now
I have a soft spot for the X25’s green finish, but that’s still not enough to get my money’s worth. Microsoft hasn’t said anything about upgrading the internals, and I’d rather see the thumbsticks stop working after months of regular play than take a chance on $79.99. I would be less hesitant if a rechargeable battery came in the box.
Grigor Baklajyan is a copywriter covering technology at Gadget Flow. His contributions include product reviews, buying guides, articles and more.