PSA: You might have some money on your hands if you have the rare Xbox Minecraft Pig Controller

What you need to know

• Minecraft has held the position of best-selling game of all time for a while now, with over 300,000,000 copies sold. 
• In 2017, Xbox released an official Minecraft Pig Limited Edition Controller as well as a Minecraft Creeper Limited Edition Controller. 
• Since then, these discontinued controllers have become somewhat rare collectibles, with brand-new and sealed options currently selling for hundreds of dollars. 
• This is a reminder to occasionally check on the value of limited edition accessories and games that you have acquired over the years. You might have a little treasure trove.

Recently, I saw that the official Minecraft Pig Limited Edition Controller from Xbox has been trending, so I decided to figure out why that might be. As you can see from the official Xbox announcement, this Xbox One controller released back in September 5, 2017, alongside a Minecraft Creeper Limited Edition Controller. Since then, these gamepads have been discontinued, making them somewhat rare. In some cases, owners can sell them for hundreds of dollars. So, if you have one in good condition and you're willing to part with it, you might just have some money on your hands.

A quick look on Amazon tells me that brand-new Microsoft Xbox Minecraft Pig Controllers are selling for a minimum of $189.90 at Amazon. On eBay (which is a treasure trove for rare collectibles), the same controllers are selling for $59.99 when used and in good condition. Meanwhile, the lowest Buy Now price for a brand-new and sealed controller starts at $179.99 on eBay but can go up higher. Some listings even went as high as $300 or more. There are definitely other Limited Edition Xbox controllers that sell for more, but this is still more than the controller sold for at launch. 

For those who are wondering, brand-new Minecraft Creeper Controllers are also valuable, but not worth quite as much as the Minecraft Pig Controller. Brand-new Creeper controllers start at $128.99 at eBay and used ones start at $39.95.

What's so cool about the Minecraft Pig Controller?

I've always found it interesting to keep an eye on limited-edition video games and gaming accessories to see just how rare and valuable they become over time. The thing is, you never quite know what will retain its worth down the line and what will completely lose value as time goes on.

In the case of the Minecraft Pig Controller vs the Minecraft Creeper Controller, my guess is that more people initially purchased the Creeper Xbox Controller than the Pig Xbox Controller. This, in turn, might be why the Pig version is harder to find and thus more valuable to collectors. It also helps that Xbox One controllers can be used on Xbox Series X, so this Minecraft Pig Controller still works when playing current games. Between their value and current usability, you can see why one Redditor got super upset when his brother destroyed his Minecraft Pig Controller. 

My Brother Absolutely Massacred My Limited Edition Minecraft Pig Controller. (These go for like $300 on Amazon rn) from r/xbox

Of course, Minecraft pigs are super cute and fun to play with in-game. You can ride them, lead them with a carrot on a stick, tend to them as part of a farm, and much more. So, it could just be that people want to show off their love for these creatures.

The Minecraft Pig Controller specifically stands apart from other Xbox gamepads thanks to the front depicting the blocky face of a pig on a pink background. Flip the controller over and you see a curly tail on the back. When you take off the back panel with the tail on it to put AA batteries inside, you'll find that there's a hidden carrot on the panel's interior. It's a very cool Easter egg for fans.

This voyage down the Minecraft Pig Controller rabbit hole has reminded me to look into the value of other video game collectibles I've gathered over the years. You might want to take a look at your own collections. For all we know, you or I could be sitting on a little treasure and not even know it. 

Official Minecraft Pig Controller FAQ

If you're interested, you should check out our list of the top 10 Xbox special edition controllers of all time.