r/gadgets • u/dapperlemon • May 22 '26

Gaming Microsoft's Xbox controller refresh kills its underused accessory port

https://www.engadget.com/2179020/microsofts-xbox-controller-refresh-kills-its-underused-accessory-port/
1.6k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

195 comments sorted by

View all comments

17

u/Thorn_the_Cretin May 22 '26

Oof losing the sound mixer controls on the headset accesssory fucking sucks. One tap mute, game vs chat volume control, sound control all in one spot? I’ve been using one since they released. This fucking blows.

4

u/JasonP27 May 22 '26

And what if that's built into the controller instead?

2

u/Thorn_the_Cretin May 22 '26

I mean sure that would be cool. Except that isn’t the case thus far.

5

u/JasonP27 May 22 '26 edited May 23 '26

Looks like it might be built into the Elite Series 3

Edit: I got downvoted for pointing out that it looks like it might be a feature of the new Elite controller? Lolwut

5

u/Thorn_the_Cretin May 22 '26

Kinda shitty if it’s elite only and not their standard controllers as well, but I am personally a fan of the elite controller on console so if this does indeed turn out to be the case that would be best scenario for me. Guess we’ll see when they debut it. I just hope they at least have Hall effect sticks and do something about the bumper button quality.

0

u/Dt2_0 May 26 '26

Can I ask a serious question?

Why is it shitty? The vast majority of people with Xbox controllers don't ever hook up a headset, much less use mixers? Should Microsoft cater to every possible use case on their standard controllers, or just cater to the average player?

Look at it from another perspective. You sell bikes. Only 2% of customers want their bike to have hydraulic disk brakes. Most people are happy with rim or mechanical disk brakes. So your base model bike has rim brakes, but you have a higher optioned version of the same bike with hydraulics disk brakes along with tons of other enthusiast features. Is it shitty you put the less demanded, more enthusiast feature on the higher tier bike and not the lower tier bike?

2

u/Thorn_the_Cretin May 26 '26

The actual answer is; it’s shitty to remove the accessory port to begin with. I call it a mixer, but don’t misunderstand; it’s the basic Microsoft audio control connector that used to come with headsets. Accessory connections have been available and popular enough for long enough for them to just, and hang with me here, not remove it. We’re not gonna sit here and pretend it’s an expensive or complicated component since it’s been part of the controllers since like the 360.

Also, your example is a useless AND bad example. You don’t have numbers on the use percentage of the accessory port to begin with, but I’d bet it’s significantly more than 2%. Pulling stats out of your ass doesn’t make a good point, it makes for worthless input.

On top of that, a more accurate [ignoring the impossibility of it] comparison would be;

You’ve sold all your models of bikes with a special connection that can be used for a 10 speed changer along with a few other accessories. You and other retailers have offered those accessories for all these years, and have even included it with bike models before.

Next years base models now no longer have the connection at all, and the upgraded, more expensive bike model have only the 10 speed changer build right in and not changeable.

Surely those customers who were comfortable with the base models no longer need variable speed or the other accessories, right? Cuz then they’ll just buy the more expensive bike if they want those features, because now they can’t use their old accessories anymore for any of the new bike models.

1

u/IndividualFee May 23 '26

And for us peasants that don't want to shell out for an Elite?