Summary
The recently releasedWitcher 3anniversaryXboxcontrollers have sold out almost immediately after being made available to purchase on the Microsoft Store, thanks in no small part to online scalpers. There have been plenty of specialXboxcontroller variants, often themed after a current movie or video game. Sometimes older Xbox games get such a controller to celebrate a special milestone, like when Xbox released aHalo-themed Duke gamepad in honor of the series’ 20th anniversary.
The Witcher 3is currently celebrating a similar milestone, as 2025 marks the 10-year anniversary of the hit fantasy RPG’s successful launch back in 2015. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that a pair ofexclusiveWitcher 3Xbox Series X/S controllerswould be sold on the Microsoft Store, with interested customers getting to choose between a standard wireless version or an Elite Series 2 gamepad. Both were sold out almost immediately after release, much to the disappointment of anyone looking to spice up their gaming setup with some Geralt-style flair.
In an unfortunate twist that might not come as too much of a surprise, online scalpers seem to have gotten their hands on a considerable amount of these special-editionWitcher 3Xbox Series X/S controllers. As pointed out by Reddit user JimPalamo, some of theMicrosoft Store-exclusive Xbox controllersare popping up on secondhand retail outlets like eBay at inflated prices - with many reaching upwards of $400. In comparison, the standardWitcher 3Xbox controller was being offered at $79.99, while the Elite 2 version was officially priced at $169.99.
Witcher 3 Xbox Controllers Are Being Bought Up By Scalpers
This is far from the first time that online scalpers have snatched up a highly sought-after piece of gaming technology to resell, as the initial launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles was plagued by them back in 2020. Meanwhile,Nintendo has taken measuresto prevent this from happening with the upcoming Switch 2.
Scalpers and their attempts to make a quick profiton the latest gaming tech have been a constant source of annoyance to players, especially when their asking prices are more than double what the original companies were asking. Microsoft could eventually produce another batch ofWitcher 3Xboxcontrollers, but for now fans will have to wait if they don’t want to pay the inflated prices being offered by the scalpers who made off with the first wave.
