Microsoft's Xbox controller refresh kills its underused accessory port
Key takeaways
- Xbox Xbox controllers will no longer come with a proprietary expansion port — known as the Chatpad port to many players — if all three of the recent signs are to be believed.
- First, reports are rolling in on social media that the new Forza Horizon 6 gamepad doesn't include a connection point for Xbox accessories, and the space where the port used to be is visible but plugged up.
- In case you're not one for signs, we've also contacted Xbox for clarification on the change.
Xbox Xbox controllers will no longer come with a proprietary expansion port — known as the Chatpad port to many players — if all three of the recent signs are to be believed.
First, reports are rolling in on social media that the new Forza Horizon 6 gamepad doesn't include a connection point for Xbox accessories, and the space where the port used to be is visible but plugged up. Second, last week's leaked images of the coming Xbox Elite Controller Series 3 show no signs of an expansion port. And third, a small line of text was added to the Xbox Wireless Controller store page in April that says, "Not all versions of this controller include an expansion port." This note was not in the Internet Archive's cache of the page dated March 31, 2026.
In case you're not one for signs, we've also contacted Xbox for clarification on the change.