How to use Claude Code with Unreal Engine

Short answer: in Unreal Engine 5.8, enable Epic's Unreal MCP and All Toolsets plugins, start the server, and generate a config for Claude Code. Then install Epic's official Claude Code plugin and ask Claude to work in your level. Everything below comes from Epic's docs and Epic's own GitHub repo, checked October 2026.

What actually exists

There are two official pieces, both made by Epic Games:

• Unreal MCP (plugin id ModelContextProtocol). An MCP server that runs inside Unreal Editor. MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a standard way to let an AI agent use tools in another app. Epic documents it for Unreal Engine 5.8 and marks it Experimental, warning that many features are incomplete and APIs may change.
• Unreal Engine Skills for Claude Code. A Claude Code plugin from Epic with instructions and workflows for driving the editor, plus a startup hook so Claude uses Unreal conventions. It is listed in Anthropic's official plugin marketplace and is MIT licensed.

Epic says it exposes hundreds of tools across 30+ toolsets, including actors, Blueprints, materials, Niagara, Control Rigs, Sequencer, State Trees, widgets, Gameplay Ability System and automation testing. The tools themselves come from the All Toolsets plugin. Without it, the server exposes nothing.

What you need

• Unreal Engine 5.8. That is the version Epic's Unreal MCP docs cover.
• Claude Code, Anthropic's coding agent, installed and signed in.
• bash on your PATH for the plugin's startup hook. macOS and Linux have it. On Windows, use Git Bash or WSL.

Setup, step by step

1. Enable the plugins. In Unreal Editor open Edit, then Plugins. Enable Unreal MCP and All Toolsets. Restart the editor when asked.
2. Start the server. Open the console (backtick key) and type ModelContextProtocol.StartServer. Or turn on Auto Start Server under Edit, Editor Preferences, Model Context Protocol. It listens on http://127.0.0.1:8000/mcp by default.
3. Generate the Claude Code config. In the console type ModelContextProtocol.GenerateClientConfig ClaudeCode. This writes .mcp.json to your project folder.
4. Install Epic's Claude Code plugin. In Claude Code run /plugin install unreal-engine-skills-for-claude-code@claude-plugins-official. If the marketplace is missing, first run /plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-official.
5. Start Claude Code from your project folder so it picks up .mcp.json.
6. Check it. Run /mcp and look for unreal-mcp. Then try Epic's test prompt: List all actors in the current level.

The generated .mcp.json looks like this:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "unreal-mcp": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/mcp"
    }
  }
}

If port 8000 is busy, start the server on another port, like ModelContextProtocol.StartServer 8001, then run the config command again.

Things to try first

• Spawn a cube at the player start and give it a red material.
• Create a material instance from my base material with roughness set to 0.3.
• Add a Niagara fire effect to the campfire actor.
• Run the automation tests for my project.

Tips that save time

• Use source control or save often. The agent changes your real project. Epic's plugin tells Claude to save before and after bulk changes, but a backup is still smart.
• Keep the editor open. Tools only run while Unreal Editor is running with the server started.
• Expect rough edges. It is Experimental in 5.8, so some tools may be missing or change.
• Start small. Unreal is a heavy engine for a first game. If you are brand new, a lighter engine may be easier.

Sources

• Unreal MCP, Unreal Engine 5.8 docs (Epic)
• Unreal Engine Skills for Claude Code (Epic Games on GitHub)
• Plugin listing in Anthropic's marketplace

Related

Comparing engines? Read Best game engines for beginners in 2026. Prefer Godot or Roblox? See Build a Godot game with AI coding agents or How to make a Roblox game with AI.

FAQ

Is this official?

Yes. Unreal MCP is documented by Epic in the Unreal Engine 5.8 docs, and the Unreal Engine Skills for Claude Code plugin is published by Epic Games on GitHub and listed in Anthropic's official Claude Code plugin marketplace (checked October 2026).

Which Unreal Engine version do I need?

Epic documents Unreal MCP in the Unreal Engine 5.8 documentation and marks it Experimental. We did not find an official statement about older versions, so plan on 5.8.

Is it free?

Unreal MCP ships as an engine plugin, and Epic's Claude Code plugin is open source under the MIT license. Claude Code itself needs a Claude account or API access from Anthropic, so check Anthropic's current pricing.

Does it work with Cursor, Codex or Gemini too?

Yes. Unreal MCP is a standard MCP server. Its config command supports ClaudeCode, Cursor, VSCode, Gemini, Codex and All.

Does it work on Windows?

Yes. Epic's Claude Code plugin supports macOS, Linux, and Windows via Git Bash or WSL. Without bash, the MCP tools still work, but a small startup hook that tells Claude it is in an Unreal project will not run.