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GameFlow
What it is
GameFlow is free, open-source tooling that routes gamepad, keyboard, mouse, or phone input through saved profiles into virtual-controller output. Its mapping options include autofire, remapping, shift layers, SOCD cleaning, stick trim, gyro aiming, touchpad mapping, button combos, and freeze macros. Users can create custom control logic in sandboxed Lua through MoonSharp. Profiles are editable JSON documents that can be created, duplicated, renamed, imported, and exported. A phone browser on the same local network can serve as a controller without an app installation, with support for up to 16 phones. The motion server exposes DSU/Cemuhook over UDP for Cemu, Dolphin, Yuzu, and Ryujinx, with protocol support for four pads. GameFlow can also generate a transparent controller-overlay URL for an OBS Browser source. It offers Windows, Linux, and macOS archives, requires .NET SDK 10.0 or later, and uses SDL3 for gamepad and joystick input. Virtual-controller output is available on Windows through HIDMaestro in user mode; Linux and macOS virtual gamepad output are not built yet.
For and against
For
- Free and open source under the MIT license.
- Profiles can be imported and exported as editable JSON.
- Phone browsers can act as controllers on the same LAN.
- Mapping options include gyro aiming and button combos.
- Windows virtual output uses HIDMaestro in user mode.
Against
- Requires .NET SDK 10.0 or later.
- Linux and macOS virtual gamepad output is not built yet.
- Does not hide physical controllers from games.
- No HidHide-equivalent integration is listed.
The verdict
GameFlow offers extensive input mapping, editable profiles, and phone-browser control at no cost. Check the .NET requirement and platform-specific virtual-output limitations before choosing it.
Who it suits
GameFlow may suit people who want customizable controller mappings or phone-based input, and who are comfortable managing profiles and software requirements. It is also relevant to users of the listed motion-server emulators or OBS Browser sources.
Plans and prices
Free
free · open source · beta · Windows, Linux and macOS archives
Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
On the record
- API and SDK
- No public GameFlow API or SDK is documented; the project documents an internal HTTP/WebSocket phone protocol and DSU server instead.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The project describes itself as cross-platform gamepad tooling for anyone.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Autofire
- Button and stick autofire uses hysteresis to reduce threshold jitter.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Calibration
- Calibration detects button, D-pad, stick and trigger mappings for devices whose reported layout is wrong.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Device tuning
- Per-slot and per-device settings include deadzone, anti-deadzone, sensitivity, curves, inversion, rumble, lighting and adaptive triggers.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation depth
- The repository includes a 365-line wiki covering concepts, mappings, platform interop, phone protocol, overlays, themes, troubleshooting and contribution guidance.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Gyro aiming
- Gyro aiming supports local, player and world frames, smoothing, drift calibration and stick or mouse output.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- HIDMaestro capabilities
- HIDMaestro claims 336 device profiles, support across DirectInput, XInput, SDL3, browser, WGI and RawInput, and approximately 35 microseconds measured latency.hidmaestro.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- HIDMaestro licensing
- HIDMaestro states that its SDK and driver are MIT licensed and allow commercial use.hidmaestro.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- HIDMaestro prerequisites
- HIDMaestro documents Windows 10/11 x64 or Windows 11 ARM64, .NET 10 and administrator privileges for virtual-device creation.hidmaestro.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- HIDMaestro SDK
- HIDMaestro describes itself as a C# SDK paired with a user-mode driver for virtual controllers.hidmaestro.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The documented install path is cloning the repository, running dotnet build and launching the GameFlow.App project.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Known macOS validation issue
- The macOS input path was written against documented APIs but had not been exercised on real Mac hardware during development.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Known theme issue
- Several bundled controller themes have imperfect button and stick placement because authoritative layout coordinates were unavailable.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Known USB Sony limitation
- Battery, motion and touch data cannot pass through USB Sony output profiles; the release notes recommend a Bluetooth Sony profile when those data are needed.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository is marked MIT licensed.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Linux output limit
- Linux has real mouse output but virtual gamepad output is not implemented and falls back to preview.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Lua scripting
- Controls can run sandboxed Lua scripts through MoonSharp.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
