How to use Cursor with Unreal Engine

Short answer: in Unreal Engine 5.8, enable Epic's Unreal MCP and All Toolsets plugins, start the server, and run ModelContextProtocol.GenerateClientConfig Cursor in the editor console. Then open your project folder in Cursor and ask the agent to work in your level. You can try all of it on Cursor's Free plan. Everything below comes from Epic's Unreal MCP docs and Cursor's docs, checked October 21, 2026.

What you are connecting

• Unreal MCP (plugin id ModelContextProtocol). An MCP server from Epic that runs inside Unreal Editor. MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a standard way to let an AI agent use tools in another app. Epic's docs name Cursor as one of the agents that can drive the editor this way, for things like spawning actors, setting up lighting, making material instances and running automation tests. Epic marks it Experimental in 5.8 and warns that many features are incomplete or missing.
• All Toolsets. The plugin that holds the actual tools. Without it, the server has nothing to offer.
• Cursor. A code editor with an AI agent built in. It can edit your C++ files like any editor, and with Unreal MCP connected it can also work inside the running Unreal Editor.

What you need

• Unreal Engine 5.8. That is the version Epic's Unreal MCP docs cover. Unreal is free to download, with a 5% royalty only on lifetime gross revenue above $1 million per product.
• Cursor for macOS, Windows or Linux. The Free plan ($0) includes limited agent requests, which is enough to try this setup. Paid plans start at $8/mo (Plus, Grok models only). Cursor is now sold as part of The X Subscription.
• The editor open. Cursor can only use Unreal tools while the editor is running with the server started.

Step 1: turn on Unreal MCP

1. In Unreal Editor open Edit, then Plugins. Search for and enable Unreal MCP and All Toolsets. The Toolset Registry plugin they need turns on by itself. 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, General, Model Context Protocol so it starts every time.
3. The server listens on http://127.0.0.1:8000/mcp. If port 8000 is taken, use ModelContextProtocol.StartServer 8001 and change the port in the steps below.

Step 2: add the server to Cursor

Option A: let Unreal write the config

In the Unreal console type ModelContextProtocol.GenerateClientConfig Cursor. Epic says this writes the config file for Cursor in your project root, and that JSON configs like Cursor's are merged with entries you already have, so running it again is safe. Check the Output Log to see where it was written.

Option B: add it yourself

Cursor reads .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for every project. Epic does not show the exact file it writes for Cursor, so this is our example, using the remote server format from Cursor's docs and the address from Epic's docs:

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

Step 3: open the project and check it works

1. Launch Unreal Editor first and make sure the server started. Epic says the Output Log shows the address when it starts.
2. In Cursor, open your Unreal project's root folder, the one where the config was written. Epic says agents must start from that folder to find the server.
3. Open Customize in Cursor's sidebar and make sure unreal-mcp is turned on.
4. In the agent chat, try Epic's test prompts: What actors do I have selected? or What are a few things you can do in Unreal? Cursor asks you to approve each MCP tool call by default.

Only seeing three tools named list_toolsets, describe_toolset and call_tool? That is Epic's Tool Search, on by default. The agent uses those three to find the real tools.

Step 4: give the agent some Unreal rules

Cursor reads an AGENTS.md file in your project root as plain instructions for the agent. (For more control, Cursor also supports .mdc rule files in .cursor/rules.) Epic's own Unreal skills plugin is for Claude Code, so a short notes file helps Cursor follow Unreal habits. This is an example, so edit it for your project:

# Unreal project notes for the agent

- Engine: Unreal Engine 5.8 (edit this to match your version).
- Unreal Editor tools come from the unreal-mcp server. Use them for
  levels, actors, materials and Blueprints. Do not edit .uasset or
  .umap files as text.
- C++ gameplay code lives under Source/. Keep classes small.
- Save the level before and after bulk changes.
- Ask before changing project settings or enabling plugins.

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.
• List the Blueprints in my project and tell me what each one does.
• Run the automation tests for my project.

If it does not connect

• Start order matters. Epic suggests launching the editor first, then the agent. If Cursor was already open, reconnect the server or restart Cursor.
• Wrong folder. Make sure Cursor has the project root open, where the config file lives.
• Read the logs. In Cursor open the Output panel (Cmd+Shift+U on Mac) and pick MCP Logs. In Unreal, the server writes to the LogModelContextProtocol category in the Output Log.
• Test the server on its own. Epic recommends the MCP Inspector: run npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector and point it at http://127.0.0.1:8000/mcp with Streamable HTTP.
• Changed the port? Update the url in your config to match.

Tips that save time

• Use source control or save often. The agent changes your real project.
• One agent at a time. Epic runs tool calls one by one on the editor's game thread and says clients should not send overlapping calls.
• Keep approvals on. Epic warns that one of its tools runs any Python script inside the editor and can change or delete project content without a second confirmation if approvals are off.
• Keep it on your own machine. The server has no login and is built for local use only.
• Start small. Unreal is a heavy engine for a first game. If you are brand new, a lighter engine may be easier.

Cursor, Claude Code or Codex for Unreal?

All three connect to the same Unreal MCP server. Epic also publishes an official plugin with Unreal skills for Claude Code, so Claude Code gets the most Unreal specific help. Cursor makes sense if you want a normal code editor where you can watch every change, and a free plan to start. See How to use Claude Code with Unreal Engine, How to use OpenAI Codex with Unreal Engine and Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor for game dev.

Sources

• Unreal MCP, Unreal Engine 5.8 docs (Epic)
• Unreal Engine Skills plugin README, with the toolset list (Epic Games on GitHub)
• Model Context Protocol in Cursor (Cursor docs)
• Rules and AGENTS.md (Cursor docs)
• Cursor pricing
• Unreal Engine licensing (Epic)

All checked October 21, 2026. Plans change often, so check current pricing before you pay. Prices are in USD and exclude tax.

Related

Comparing engines? Read Best game engines for beginners in 2026. Want a web game instead? Try How to make a browser game with three.js and AI. See also our Cursor and Unreal Engine tool pages.

FAQ

Does Cursor work with Unreal Engine officially?

Yes, through Epic's Unreal MCP. Epic's Unreal Engine 5.8 docs name Cursor as an example MCP client and list Cursor as a supported client for the ModelContextProtocol.GenerateClientConfig command. Unreal MCP is marked Experimental. Epic's agent plugin with Unreal specific skills is built for Claude Code, and we did not find an Epic plugin for Cursor (checked October 21, 2026).

Can I do this for free?

You can start for $0. Cursor's Free plan includes limited agent requests, Unreal Engine is free to download, and Unreal MCP ships with the engine as a plugin. Unreal charges a 5% royalty only on lifetime gross revenue above $1 million per product. Cursor's paid plans start at $8/mo (Plus, Grok models only). Checked on cursor.com/pricing and unrealengine.com/license, October 21, 2026.

Where does Cursor look for the Unreal server?

Cursor reads MCP servers from .cursor/mcp.json in your project and from ~/.cursor/mcp.json in your home folder. Epic's docs say GenerateClientConfig writes the Cursor config in the project root but do not name the exact file, so check .cursor/mcp.json after you run it. If it is not there, add the entry yourself with the example in this guide.

Why does Cursor only show three Unreal tools?

That is normal. Unreal MCP has Tool Search turned on by default, so it lists three helper tools (list_toolsets, describe_toolset and call_tool) instead of every tool. The agent uses those three to find and call the real tools.

Can Cursor edit Blueprints?

Not as text, because Blueprints are stored as binary assets. Through Unreal MCP the agent can use Epic's Blueprint toolset inside the running editor. Epic lists Blueprints among its toolsets on GitHub. Cursor can edit your C++ source files directly, like any code editor.

Is it safe?

Mostly, if you keep it local and keep approvals on. The Unreal MCP server has no login and only accepts connections from your own machine by default. Cursor asks before it runs an MCP tool unless you change that. Epic warns that one toolset can run any Python script in the editor and change or delete project content, so use source control.