Microsoft is one of the few companies in the gaming space that still offers a controller with a battery compartment for easily swapping them out. However, to not let new buyers get caught offguard, the company ships all its standard controllers with a couple of AA batteries to jump into games straight away wirelessly. However, it looks like a mix-up has affected some customers, leading to them getting a controller without included batteries. There is a solution being offered though.
Earlier today, Microsoft"s Xbox Support portal (via PureXbox) announced that since December of last year, some controllers had shipped without the promised batteries. It doesn"t look like the problem has only affected its own store or a single retail partner, as the company says that controllers purchased from "Microsoft Store, Xbox Design Lab, or a third‑party retailer" could have had missing batteries.
As for what Microsoft is doing to affected customers, it has confirmed that instead of simply shipping the missing Duracell batteries, official "Xbox Rechargeable Battery + USB‑C Cable" kits are being offered as compensation.
To be eligible, affected customers can register their controller through the devices page on account.microsoft.com. Microsoft will be using the Xbox controller"s serial number (found inside the battery compartment) to make sure only affected customers will be receiving the kit for free.
Microsoft"s new support page focused on this issue lists these steps for requesting the Xbox Rechargeable Battery kit:
- Go to account.microsoft.com/devices.
- Select Register device > Register a new device.
- Complete the registration flow.
- Select the controller you registered, then select Start order, and follow the onscreen instructions.
- For Category, select Accessory and for Issue Type, select Charge Kit.
- Select or enter your appropriate shipping address, then choose Send it to us for service. Note that you will not need to send in your controller.
- If your controller is eligible, you"ll see an offer for Xbox Rechargeable Battery + USB-C Cable - Send Immediately – One-Time Offer. Select this and continue with the steps to complete the order.
This is a valuable upgrade, as the kit usually costs $25 to purchase. The pack plugs into the AA compartment of Xbox controllers, offering up to 30 hours of gaming. It can also recharge while inside the controller when plugged in within four hours.
"All controllers moving forward will include batteries," added Microsoft. It"s unclear what exactly caused this free battery disruption.