Xbox controllers will no longer ship with a proprietary expansion port – known as the Chatpad port to many gamers – if three recent signs are to be believed.
First, reports are pouring in on social media that the new Forza Horizon 6 the gamepad doesn’t include a connection point for Xbox accessories, and the space where the port was is visible but plugged in. Second, images leaked last week of the upcoming Xbox Elite Controller Series 3 show no sign of an expansion port. And third, a small line of text was added to the Xbox Wireless Controller store page in April that reads: “Not all versions of this controller include an expansion port.” This note did not appear in the Internet Archive’s cache of the page dated March 31, 2026.
In case you don’t like the signs, we’ve also reached out to Xbox for clarification on the change.
The apparent discontinuation isn’t a complete surprise, given that Xbox hasn’t produced a significant expansion port accessory since the dawn of the current console generation. The port’s main claim to fame was Chatpad, which landed with the Xbox 360 but was most beloved in the Xbox One era, as online console gaming found its footing, and players sought quick ways to communicate with teammates and adjust settings on the fly. In addition to its functions as a quick-access keyboard with programmable buttons, the Chatpad fits neatly into the corner of the Xbox Wireless Controller and adds a satisfying amount of weight to its lower half. Many users have even come to prefer the feel of the controller with the Chatpad.
This unique accessory became a unique selling point for Xbox One game controllers in particular, helping to cement Microsoft as the controller market leader in the 2010s. The company also produced the Stereo Headset Adapter for the Xbox One, featuring useful hotkeys, and played around with charging accessories using its proprietary docking point.
And then Microsoft stopped paying attention to the expansion port. By 2019, it was clear that Chatpad had been quietly discontinued, although Xbox never made an official announcement. Its latest living room hardware, the Xbox Series Xbox hasn’t dwelled on the port (or even mentioned it) in marketing materials, and there have been no whispers of revamped keyboards, headphone adapters, chargers, or other accessories this generation.
It’s a surprising failure, not only because Xbox had a winning accessory on its hands with the Chatpad, but also because Microsoft isn’t shy about messing with weird, cutting-edge consumer hardware. These are the people who forced video game fans to interact with the Kinect (twice!), and today, Xbox is a leader in accessibility hardware with the hugely revolutionary Adaptive Controller and its ever-growing suite of accessories, courtesy of Microsoft’s Inclusive Tech Lab.
From a certain point of view, the Xbox controller has simply and naturally outgrown the expansion port. The inclusion of a 3.5mm jack for stereo headsets eliminates the need for a standalone adapter, and there’s a keyboard feature in the Xbox app that lets players type live in-game. From another perspective, Xbox is letting a point of innovation die at a time when it’s losing the broader hardware game. As companies like Nintendo have demonstrated – and Microsoft certainly understands this – there’s money to be made selling exclusive, offbeat gaming accessories at ridiculous prices. With the expansion port, Xbox had the foundation to add some usability and whimsy to an already thriving gamepad empire, but with today’s news of closed expansion ports, that pipeline could be sealed for good.