ExtremeTech Microsoft Denies Cutting Secret Deal With Duracell Over Xbox Controllers By Joel Hruska on January 11, 2021 at 9:02 am This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use. Last week, a report surfaced claiming that Microsoft and Duracell have a secret agreement between them in which Microsoft agrees to keep AA batteries as the default power standard for its Xbox controllers. Microsoft denied the rumors, which began when Duracell UK’s marketing manager, Luke Anderson, referred to a deal between the two companies: There’s always been this partnership with Duracell and Xbox… It’s a constant agreement that Duracell and Microsoft have in place… [The deal is] for OEM to supply the battery product for the Xbox consoles and also the controllers’ battery.