Xbox announces Nano Controller for US$49.99, out 4 November
Xbox has announced the Nano Controller, a smaller and cheaper version of its standard Wireless Controller.
It will be released on 4 November, priced at US$49.99 and £44.99, with pre-orders available now on the Microsoft Store, according to Video Games Chronicle.
The pitch is size. The Nano is 5 inches long and weighs 3.5 ounces. The regular Wireless Controller is 6 inches long and weighs 10 ounces. It is tiny. An inch off the length and almost two-thirds off the weight is easy to feel in the hands and in a bag.
That shrink does not cut inputs. Xbox says the Nano keeps all 18 standard gameplay inputs, the sticks, triggers, face buttons and directional controls that most games expect, according to Xbox. It also adds a programmable Action Button. That is a spare button players can customise for a shortcut, such as taking a screenshot or saving a gameplay clip.
Power is simpler too. The Nano has a rechargeable battery inside the pad. Plug in to charge, then play without disposables. No hunting for fresh cells before a session. The standard Wireless Controller, by contrast, needs AA batteries or a rechargeable pack sold separately.
Connection covers more than the console. The Nano links over Xbox Wireless, the company's direct link for Xbox hardware, or Bluetooth, the common short-range wireless standard built into most phones and computers. Xbox lists use on PC, mobile phones and smart TVs as well as console play. That makes it a pad for the living room, the desk and the commute.
Regional pricing is rolling out. In Australia, the pad is listed at AU$79.95, according to Press Start. Xbox published full details on its own site on 14 October 2026, announced a day before the wider 15 October report. The Microsoft Store, Microsoft's own online shop for consoles, games and accessories, is handling pre-orders.
What makes this stand out is choice. A full-price, full-size pad does not suit every hand, every bag or every budget. Small does not mean cut-down here.
For families sharing a console, for younger players, or for anyone wanting a second pad for travel or the bedroom TV, a lighter controller with the same buttons and a built-in battery lowers the barrier. Pre-orders are live. Stock goes on sale on launch day.
