No, Xbox doesn’t have an agreement with Duracell which means it has to use AA batteries in the controllers

Amid new speculation prompted by comments from a Duracell spokesperson, IGN understands that no deal requires Xbox to use AA batteries in its controllers. with Duracell and Xbox… It is a constant agreement that Duracell and Microsoft have put in place […] [The deal is] for the OEM to provide the battery product for the Xbox consoles as well as the battery for the controllers. So that [deal is] it’s going to last a while … it’s been going on for a while and I think it must last a while [more]. “

Many have speculated that this means the mentioned deal is the only reason Xbox uses AA batteries in its controllers, and some have speculated that it might change that fact once the deal ends. However, sources tell IGN that this is incorrect.

Duracell batteries are included with Xbox controllers, and the Xbox was indeed part of Duracell OEM, a partnership program run by the battery maker, but this appears to be a byproduct of Microsoft’s decision to use batteries. AA batteries, rather than the cause of it. Contacted for comment, a Microsoft spokesperson said:

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“We intentionally offer consumers a choice of their battery solutions for our standard Xbox wireless controllers. This includes the use of AA batteries of any brand, the Xbox rechargeable battery, our partner’s charging solutions or a USB-C cable, which can power the controller when plugged into the console or PC. . “

This post echoes the words of Xbox Series X designer Jason Ronald last year when he spoke about why Xbox controllers still use AA batteries, saying it was ultimately a question of flexibility for the players.

Neither Anderson nor Duracell OEM responded to a request for comment from IGN at the time of publication.

Joe Skrebels is IGN’s News Editor. Follow him on Twitter. Any advice to give us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].