Drive Unreal from VS Code Copilot agent mode

Before you start

You need the McpAutomationBridge plugin installed and built in your project (status bar shows MCP off), and VS Code with GitHub Copilot's agent mode, which is where VS Code uses MCP tools. If the plugin isn't in yet, follow the quick start first.

Many Unreal C++ developers already use VS Code as their editor. Connecting EngineWire means the agent working on your source can also reach the assets that only exist inside the editor.

Native HTTP setup (recommended)

1. In Unreal, open Edit › Project Settings › Plugins › MCP Automation Bridge › Native MCP, tick Enable Native MCP Server, and restart the editor. The status bar reads MCP :3000 (0).

2. Create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace. The inputs block makes VS Code ask for the token once and store it, instead of keeping it in the file:

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "promptString",
      "id": "unreal-mcp-token",
      "description": "Unreal MCP capability token (Saved/MCP/capability-token)",
      "password": true
    }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "unreal-engine": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3000/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "X-MCP-Capability-Token": "${input:unreal-mcp-token}"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Start the server from VS Code and paste the contents of <YourProject>/Saved/MCP/capability-token when prompted. It is 64 hexadecimal characters.

4. Open Copilot Chat in agent mode. The server contributes one tool, unreal, and the Unreal status bar count goes up to MCP :3000 (1).

Because the token is collected through inputs, this file is safe to commit and share with your team: each person enters their own project's token.

stdio setup

If you would rather let a local process find the token, VS Code can launch the Node.js server (Node.js 20.19 or later). VS Code uses "servers" instead of "mcpServers" and needs "type": "stdio":

{
  "servers": {
    "unreal-engine": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "unreal-engine-mcp-server@beta"],
      "env": {
        "UE_PROJECT_PATH": "C:/Path/To/MyGame"
      }
    }
  }
}

On Windows, if VS Code can't find npx, use "command": "cmd" with "args": ["/c", "npx", "-y", "unreal-engine-mcp-server@beta"]. Keep @beta: the plain package name installs 0.5.30, which doesn't match a 0.6 plugin.

What Copilot can do in the editor

Through the one unreal tool the agent searches nearly 400 capabilities. The areas the project documents:

The full list is the generated Action Reference.

Approvals and safety

Use VS Code's tool confirmation for the unreal tool while you get used to it, so you approve each editor change. Independently of VS Code, the plugin refuses any request without the project token, requires a per-call consent grant for deletes and some other writes, blocks console commands that chain or quit the editor, and keeps asset paths under /Game, /Engine, /Script, /Temp and /Niagara plus prefixes you add. Details: security model.