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Epic AI MegaJam 2026: set up AI tools and MCP for Unreal or UEFN

Your coding agent connected to Unreal Engine or UEFN over MCP before the jam starts, AI tools for code and 3D picked on plans that fit, and a checklist for building, packaging and submitting within the 2026 Epic AI MegaJam rules (12–15 Nov 2026).

  1. 1Check the rules
  2. 2Pick an agent
  3. 3Turn on MCP
  4. 4Make assets
  5. 5Package and submit
Before you start: Check what the jam allows before you set anything up
  1. AI is optional. The Official Rules (section 7a) say entries may use AI tools to write gameplay code, generate assets or power a system in the game, and how much you use AI won't, on its own, raise or lower your score.
  2. You can prepare AI tools, agent configurations, MCP settings, prompt libraries and scripts before 12 November (section 7h). Gameplay, levels and art must be made during the jam, apart from sourced assets you declare. Epic may ask for these materials or your version-control history.
  3. Assets you didn't make, such as Fab assets, are allowed if you hold the licence and list them when you submit. Content you generate with AI tools doesn't count as a sourced asset, so make it during the jam like the rest of your game.
  4. Dates: the theme is revealed in the kickoff livestream on 11 Nov at 11am PST (5am Thursday 12 Nov in Brisbane). Building runs from 12 Nov at 12:00am EST to 15 Nov at 8:59pm EST. In Brisbane that's 3pm Thursday 12 Nov to 11:59am Monday 16 Nov (AEST).

Watch out: Pick Unreal Engine or UEFN, not both. Teams are 1 to 5 people, each 18 or older with an active Epic Games account. Late submissions are disqualified.

From the official docs: 2026 Epic AI MegaJam on itch.io (Official Rules linked there) ↗

Everyone: steps 1–2

  1. Pick a coding agent that can use MCP

    1. Unreal's MCP plugin writes a ready-made config for Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini and Codex. UEFN's docs use the same .mcp.json format.
    2. Claude Code comes with Claude Pro (US$20 a month) and higher plans, or API billing. Claude's free plan doesn't include it.
    3. Cursor has a free plan, with paid plans from US$8 a month. It connects to MCP servers through mcp.json, and third-party model usage is billed separately.
    4. GitHub Copilot has a free plan and connects to MCP servers from IDEs, the CLI and GitHub.com.
    5. Install and sign in now. Epic's tip: time spent getting MCP working on day one is time you're not building.

    You should see: An agent installed and signed in on the machine where you'll run the editor.

    Watch out: Prices and plans are from each vendor's pricing page on the date shown on its tool page. Check your plan's usage limits before a four-day jam.

    From the official docs: Unreal MCP docs: generate a client config ↗

  2. Keep notes from day one

    1. The Glass Box prize (US$2,500) goes to the best dev log showing how you built your game. A dev log link is optional for everyone else.
    2. Write down which tool made which asset and what you asked your agent to do. You need the list of sourced assets anyway, and the notes become the dev log.
    3. Epic's other tips: start small, then polish, do a test build on day two, and show gameplay in the first five seconds of your video.

    You should see: A running notes file next to your project.

    Watch out: If you prepared prompts, scripts or assets before 12 Nov, declare them. The rules let Epic ask for them.

    From the official docs: 2026 Epic AI MegaJam: prizes and tips ↗

Then pick your path

Unreal Engine

  1. Turn on Unreal MCP in the editor

    1. Open Edit > Plugins, search for Unreal MCP and enable it. Enable All Toolsets as well. The Toolset Registry plugin they need turns on automatically. Restart the editor.
    2. Open Edit > Editor Preferences > General > Model Context Protocol and turn on Auto Start Server.
    3. Or start it when you need it: type ModelContextProtocol.StartServer in the editor console.

    You should see: The MCP server running at http://127.0.0.1:8000/mcp whenever the editor is open.

    Watch out: Unreal MCP is an Experimental feature, documented for Unreal Engine 5.8. It has no authentication and only accepts connections from your own machine by default. Don't expose it to a network.

    Official video from Unreal Engine. Watch on YouTube ↗

    From the official docs: Unreal MCP in Unreal Editor ↗

  2. Connect your agent and test it

    1. In the editor console, run ModelContextProtocol.GenerateClientConfig ClaudeCode. Use Cursor, VSCode, Gemini, Codex or All instead to match your agent.
    2. It writes .mcp.json to your project root. Start your agent from that folder, after the editor is running.
    3. Ask a simple question first, such as "What actors do I have selected?"

    You should see: Your agent answers with details from the open editor.

    Watch out: Tool calls run one at a time on the game thread, so don't send overlapping requests. Codex's config file is write-once: delete a stale one by hand before you regenerate it.

    From the official docs: Unreal MCP: connect your AI agent ↗

  3. Bring AI-made 3D models into Unreal

    1. Meshy and Tripo AI both list Unreal among their DCC bridges, and both export FBX and GLB.
    2. Meshy's free plan gives 100 monthly credits, with outputs under CC BY 4.0. Pro is US$20 a month.
    3. Tripo AI's free plan gives 200 monthly credits for public, non-commercial use. Commercial use needs a paid plan.
    4. For a rigged, animated character from one image, Bake3D exports GLB, FBX or USDZ with a skeleton and baked clips. It has no free credits; credit packs start at US$5.
    5. Import FBX files through Unreal's FBX content pipeline.

    You should see: The model in your Content Browser, ready to place in a level.

    Watch out: If you might keep developing the game after the jam (Epic offers Development Continuation Grants), make final assets on a plan that allows commercial use.

    From the official docs: Unreal Engine: FBX content pipeline ↗

  4. Optional: an agent that lives inside Unreal

    1. Ludus AI runs inside the Unreal editor and works with your project's Blueprints, C++, assets and levels. It has a 14-day Pro trial; a free account has no credits. Pro is US$25 a month.
    2. Ultimate Engine CoPilot builds Blueprints, C++, materials, Niagara, PCG, UI and animation from inside Unreal Engine 5. It has no free plan: Indie is US$25 a month, or a one-time licence is US$284.99 per seat.

    You should see: An assistant inside the editor, instead of or alongside an outside agent over MCP.

    Watch out: A 14-day trial started today runs out before the jam ends. Time it so it covers 12–15 Nov.

    From the official docs: Ludus AI terms and pricing ↗

  5. Package a test build on day two

    1. In the toolbar's Platforms menu, pick Windows, macOS, Android or iOS and set the build configuration to Development. Then choose Package Project and a staging folder.
    2. Zip it as TeamName_GameName, under 1 GB. For bigger builds, use butler or the Blendo Itch Uploader.
    3. Upload it to your own itch.io account, then submit it to the jam with a 30–60 second gameplay video at 1920x1080 or higher, your team details and, if you want the Glass Box prize, your dev log link.

    You should see: A packaged build that runs on a second machine, uploaded well before 8:59pm EST on 15 Nov.

    Watch out: Unpackaged Unreal projects aren't accepted, and entries need custom gameplay beyond Epic's starter templates.

    From the official docs: Unreal Engine: packaging your project ↗

UEFN

  1. Turn on UEFN MCP

    1. In your project's Project Settings, tick Python Editor Scripting and UEFN MCP Toolsets. Both must be on.
    2. In the project's root folder, create a file named .mcp.json containing the unreal-mcp entry from Epic's docs (type http, url http://127.0.0.1:8000/mcp). The example in the docs is for Claude Code.
    3. Start your agent from that folder.

    You should see: Your agent lists unreal-mcp as a connected server.

    Watch out: To start or stop the server you have to close and reopen UEFN. If port 8000 is taken, change Server Port Number in Editor Preferences.

    From the official docs: UEFN MCP ↗

  2. Test each toolset

    1. Verse: "List the Verse files in my project." The Verse toolset reads, edits and compiles your Verse.
    2. Devices: "What devices are available to place in this project?" then "Place a player spawner and a timer device in the level."
    3. Play session: "Start a play session for my project." UEFN plays in the client, not in the editor.
    4. Ask for a plan before multi-step changes, and keep each change small enough to check.

    You should see: The agent reports back from each toolset and the play session starts.

    Watch out: Known issues: tool calls can make the editor hitch or hang, and the toolsets use XYZ coordinates while UEFN uses Left-Up-Forward, so spatial requests can go wrong.

    Official video from Fortnite Developers. Watch on YouTube ↗

    From the official docs: UEFN MCP: prompting suggestions and known issues ↗

  3. Optional: AI-powered NPCs with conversations

    1. The Walkie-Talkie prize (US$2,500) is for the best narrative UEFN game with LLM-powered NPCs built with conversations.
    2. Conversations is Experimental. You describe a character with prompts and pick a voice. Characters can remember the session, reply by voice and trigger events, and the Verse API can change what they know at runtime.
    3. Epic says it runs on Google's Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite models, with ElevenLabs voices.

    You should see: An NPC that answers players out loud in a play session.

    Watch out: Islands that use conversations can't be published until the Beta release, and personas must follow Fortnite Developer Rules 1.22: no medical or mental-health guidance, no romantic companions, no getting around the safety systems.

    From the official docs: Fortnite: AI-powered conversations ↗

  4. Make your private version code before the deadline

    1. Create a private version code of the final, playable build you want judged. It's a fixed snapshot that can't be changed afterwards.
    2. Submit it on itch.io with your island name, a 30–60 second gameplay video at 1920x1080 or higher, your team details and, for the Glass Box prize, your dev log link.

    You should see: A private version code submitted before 8:59pm EST on 15 Nov.

    Watch out: Live island codes and playtest codes aren't accepted. Follow the Fortnite Developer Rules.

    From the official docs: 2026 Epic AI MegaJam: what to submit ↗

The AI tools in this guide

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Questions

Do I have to use AI in the Epic AI MegaJam?

No. The Official Rules say entries can use AI tools but don't have to, and the extent of AI use won't on its own increase or decrease a score. source

Can I set up MCP and my agents before 12 November?

Yes. You can prepare AI tools, agent configurations, MCP settings, prompt libraries and scripts before the jam. Gameplay, levels and art must be made during it, and anything made earlier must be declared. source

Do AI-generated assets count as sourced assets?

No. The Official Rules say content you generate with AI tools isn't a sourced asset. Sourced assets (such as Fab assets you hold a licence for) are listed in your submission and aren't scored. source

When does the MegaJam start and end in Australia?

Building runs from 12 Nov 12:00am EST to 15 Nov 8:59pm EST: 3pm Thursday 12 Nov to 11:59am Monday 16 Nov in Brisbane (AEST). source

Written from the official documentation linked on each step and checked . Menus and settings change between versions, so follow the linked docs if something looks different. No vendor reviews or pays for these guides.

Tools for this workflow

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Ludus AI

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Ultimate Engine CoPilot (BlueprintsLab)

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