How to read this
Tool counts are not comparable one-to-one. Some projects count MCP tools, some count actions behind a few tools, and EngineWire counts capabilities behind a single gateway tool. Read them as rough breadth, not a score. Where a number comes from someone else's audit rather than the project itself, the source is named. A dash means we could not verify it. Star counts are from the GitHub API on 9 October 2026.
This is EngineWire's own page, so weigh it accordingly. We have tried to include the places where other projects are ahead.
The matrix
| Server | UE versions | Tools / actions | How clients connect | Auth | License · price | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineWire (ChiR24/Unreal_mcp) | 5.0–5.8 | ~400 capabilities (405 records) behind 1 tool, unreal | Native Streamable HTTP in the C++ plugin, or stdio via Node.js | Capability token by default; scoped tokens; per-call consent | MIT · free | 911 stars; v0.6.0-beta-e released 9 Oct 2026 |
| Epic Unreal MCP | 5.8 | 830 actions (ue-mcp.com's count), via Tool Search meta-tools | HTTP and SSE only, 127.0.0.1:8000/mcp | None ("no authentication layer") | Ships with UE 5.8 · free | Experimental, first-party |
| ue-mcp (db-lyon) | 5.4–5.8 | 1,103 own actions, plus Epic's 830 wrapped on 5.8 | TypeScript/Node server, WebSocket JSON-RPC to a C++ plugin; npx ue-mcp init | – | MIT (per its own matrix) · free | Matrix audited 24 Sep 2026 |
| StraySpark Unreal MCP Server | 5.8 (v5.x, Win64 only) | 523 tools in 70 categories | Streamable HTTP; Claude Desktop via an included Python stdio bridge | Bearer tokens with Read / Scene / Destructive scopes | Commercial, source included · $129 personal, $449 professional | v5.1.0-beta |
| chongdashu/unreal-mcp | 5.5+ (per ue-mcp.com) | 32 tools (per ue-mcp.com) | Python server, TCP socket to a C++ plugin | – | GitHub detects no license file · free | 2,091 stars; last push 22 Apr 2025 |
| Flop (flopperam, now Aura) | 5.3–5.8 (per ue-mcp.com) | 64 hosted tools, 46 free (per ue-mcp.com) | Hosted Streamable HTTP to its plugin; open-source FastMCP over TCP | API key for hosted tools | Hosted tools proprietary; GitHub detects no license file · free and paid tiers | 1,094 stars; last push 26 Jun 2026 |
| runreal/unreal-mcp | 5.4+ (per ue-mcp.com) | 20 tools (per ue-mcp.com) | npx, Unreal Python Remote Execution, no plugin | – | MIT · free | 116 stars; last push 6 Jun 2025 |
| IvanMurzak/Unreal-MCP (AI Game Developer) | – | – | C++ editor plugin plus a .NET bridge; connects through ai-game.dev | – | Apache-2.0 | 45 stars; last push 4 Oct 2026 |
Sources: EngineWire repository and changelog; Epic's Unreal MCP documentation; ue-mcp.com comparison matrix; StraySpark product page; GitHub repositories chongdashu/unreal-mcp, flopperam/unreal-engine-mcp, runreal/unreal-mcp and IvanMurzak/Unreal-MCP.
What each one is good at
EngineWire
The widest engine range here (every UE 5 minor), both HTTP and stdio, and a security model with tokens, scopes and per-call consent, under MIT. One gateway tool keeps context use low. Weak spots, as ue-mcp.com's audit scores them: no interactive setup wizard, no doctor command, no automatic client-config writing, and no PIE input record/replay or engine source search.
Epic Unreal MCP
First-party and built into UE 5.8: enable two plugins, generate client config from the console, and author your own tools in Python or C++. It has no authentication and supports HTTP/SSE only. See Epic's Unreal MCP vs EngineWire.
ue-mcp
The largest action count in its own matrix, a setup wizard, a YAML workflow engine and a plugin system, and it wraps Epic's 5.8 tools. It starts at UE 5.4, so 5.0 to 5.3 projects are out.
StraySpark Unreal MCP Server
A paid, source-included product focused on verification: Slate captures, validators and revertible change plans, with scoped bearer tokens. The current v5 line targets UE 5.8 on Win64 only.
chongdashu/unreal-mcp
The best-known early community server and still the most-starred. It has not been updated since April 2025 and covers basic actor placement, Blueprints and widgets.
Flop / Aura
A hosted option with an in-editor agent panel. The repository now points to Aura, which owns it; hosted tools need an API key.
runreal
No editor plugin at all: it drives Unreal through Python Remote Execution, which makes it the lightest install, with a small toolset.
Picking one
- On UE 5.0 to 5.2: EngineWire is the only server in this table known to target those engines (Flop's range starts at 5.3).
- On 5.8, solo, basics only: try Epic's built-in plugin first.
- Shared machines or security-conscious teams: pick one with authentication. EngineWire and StraySpark both have scoped tokens; Epic's has none.
- Claude Desktop or other stdio-only clients: EngineWire's stdio server, or a server with a stdio bridge.
- Budget for a paid tool and on 5.8 Win64: StraySpark is the commercial option with support.
FAQ
Why isn't Ludus AI or another AI assistant listed?
This page compares MCP servers that you connect your own AI client to. All-in-one assistant plugins such as Ludus AI, which bring their own subscription and model, are a different category.
How current is this?
Checked on 9 October 2026. These projects move fast; if a cell is wrong, open an issue on GitHub and we'll correct it.
Is "Unreal MCP" Epic's product or yours?
Both use the name. Epic's 5.8 plugin is called Unreal MCP; EngineWire is the independent open-source project published as ChiR24/Unreal_mcp and npm unreal-engine-mcp-server.
Which is the most popular?
By GitHub stars, chongdashu/unreal-mcp, then Flop, then EngineWire. Stars measure attention, not current maintenance.