Microsoft is apparently making silent changes to the Xbox controller

Microsoft is not only working on a new Xbox controller, but also seems to be quietly modifying the current model – and not necessarily to users’ benefit. Newly produced versions of the popular Xbox controller appear to be losing the so-called expansion port. The change was spotted by a Reddit user, who found only a sealed plastic cover on his new Forza Horizon 6 Special Edition controller (the game is featured in Notebookcheck’s benchmark test), exactly where the expansion port would normally be located.

The expansion port was previously positioned on the underside of the Xbox controller, right next to the 3.5 mm headphone jack. It was originally introduced to connect accessories directly to the controller. Typical use cases included headset adapters and the chatpad – a small clip-on keyboard designed to make typing messages easier. For many players, losing the port is unlikely to make much difference in everyday use. Anyone who uses the controller wirelessly, via USB-C or with a standard 3.5 mm headset will not lose any essential functionality. For users with older or more specialized accessories, however, the situation is different, which is why the reaction on Reddit has been largely critical.

Microsoft has not officially confirmed the removal of the expansion port so far. Current speculation suggests that newly manufactured batches of certain Xbox Wireless Controllers are affected. It remains unclear whether all future Xbox Wireless Controllers will ship without the port or whether the change will be limited to select editions. Anyone specifically looking for a model with the expansion port may still have luck with older special editions – such as the DOOM: The Dark Ages Limited Edition, which is currently available on Amazon for around $100.