I purchased the game on Steam after seeing on the GOG storefront that controllers were supported. However, the native macOS port does not recognize the DualShock 4 (PS4) controller at all, regardless of Steam Input settings, entirely lacking support for the native Apple Game Controller framework or a cross-platform solution like SDL2.
To actually play the game with a controller on my Mac, I have to abandon the native macOS port entirely and run the Windows version of Phoenix Point through CrossOver, where the XInput translation layer functions correctly.
Environment:
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OS: macOS 26.5.2
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Platform: Firebird 1.30.2 Steam
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Hardware: DualShock 4 Controller (PS4)
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Workaround Used: CrossOver (Running the Windows build)
Steps to Reproduce:
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Connect a DualShock 4 controller to a Mac.
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Launch Steam and launch the native macOS build of Phoenix Point.
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Attempt to use the controller; the game fails to recognize any inputs because Steam Input cannot translate to XInput on a macOS host.
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Launch CrossOver, install the Windows version of Steam, and run the Windows build of Phoenix Point.
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The controller works perfectly via the Windows XInput translation layer.
Actual Result: The native macOS client lacks the necessary API hooks (Apple Game Controller framework) to accept controller inputs natively or via Steam Input translation. The controller only functions if the user bypasses the macOS port and runs the Windows client via a compatibility layer (CrossOver).
Expected Result: The native macOS build should implement the Apple Game Controller framework or use proper cross-platform controller hooks so that Steam Input can function without relying on an XInput environment.
Impact: Customers who purchase the game based on advertised controller support are completely unable to use gamepads on the native macOS port. Forcing macOS users to emulate the Windows environment to access standard features defeats the purpose of providing a native Mac client.