# Installation

Install Unity MCP (AI Game Developer) in a Unity project with the desktop app, unity-mcp-cli, OpenUPM or the .unitypackage installer.

_Last updated: 2026-11-04_

This page shows every way to add the Unity MCP plugin to a Unity project, what each one does to your project, and how to remove the plugin again. All paths install the same package, `com.ivanmurzak.unity.mcp`, from the OpenUPM registry, so you can pick whichever fits your workflow.

## Requirements

- **Unity 2022.3 or newer.** The package declares `2022.3` as its minimum version; Unity 6 releases are supported.
- **A project path without spaces.** `C:/Projects/MyGame` is fine, `C:/My Projects/My Game` is not. The plugin logs an error at startup when the path contains a space.
- **A short project path on Windows.** The plugin copies its NuGet DLLs to `Assets/Plugins/NuGet`. If the resulting path would pass Windows' 260-character limit, the install stops and asks you to move the project to a shorter folder.
- **Internet access on first open.** The plugin downloads its .NET dependencies from NuGet, and in Custom mode its MCP server binary from GitHub.
- For `unity-mcp-cli` only: **Node.js** `^20.19.0` or `>=22.12.0`.

## Option 1: the AI Game Dev desktop app (recommended)

The [AI Game Dev app](https://ai-game.dev/docs/app) installs and connects the plugin for you, without a terminal and without Node.js on your machine.

1. [Download the app](https://ai-game.dev/download) and sign in with your ai-game.dev account.
2. Open your Unity project folder in the app. The app detects that it is a Unity project.
3. Click **Install Package**. The app adds the plugin to `Packages/manifest.json` at the newest released version on OpenUPM, and never downgrades a newer version you already have. A project you create from the app gets the plugin automatically.
4. Open the Editor from the app. The app passes your session, so the plugin connects through ai-game.dev without a separate sign-in.

The app also installs extensions and runs the AI agent itself, so you do not need a separate MCP client. Details are in the app wiki: [installation](https://ai-game.dev/docs/wiki/app/installation) and [projects and engines](https://ai-game.dev/docs/wiki/app/projects-and-engines).

## Option 2: unity-mcp-cli

`unity-mcp-cli` edits `Packages/manifest.json` directly, so Unity does not need to be open:

```bash
npm install -g unity-mcp-cli
unity-mcp-cli install-plugin ./MyUnityProject
```

You can also run it without a global install:

```bash
npx unity-mcp-cli install-plugin ./MyUnityProject
```

`install-plugin` adds the OpenUPM scoped registry with the scopes `com.ivanmurzak` and `extensions.unity`, adds `com.ivanmurzak.unity.mcp` to `dependencies` at the latest OpenUPM version, and never downgrades a higher version that is already installed. Pass `--plugin-version <version>` to pin a version. The path is optional when you run the command from the project folder.

The CLI can also install Unity and create a project first:

```bash
unity-mcp-cli install-unity
unity-mcp-cli create-project ./MyUnityProject
```

If Unity Hub is missing, the CLI installs it. Open the project in Unity afterwards so the Package Manager resolves the package. All commands are in the [CLI reference](https://ai-game.dev/docs/wiki/unity/cli).

## Option 3: OpenUPM

With the [OpenUPM CLI](https://openupm.com/) installed, run this in the project folder:

```bash
openupm add com.ivanmurzak.unity.mcp
```

Without the OpenUPM CLI, add the registry and the dependency to `Packages/manifest.json` yourself. Use the version shown on the [OpenUPM package page](https://openupm.com/packages/com.ivanmurzak.unity.mcp/):

```json
{
  "scopedRegistries": [
    {
      "name": "package.openupm.com",
      "url": "https://package.openupm.com",
      "scopes": ["com.ivanmurzak", "extensions.unity"]
    }
  ],
  "dependencies": {
    "com.ivanmurzak.unity.mcp": "1.6.2"
  }
}
```

Merge these entries into your existing file; do not replace the other dependencies.

## Option 4: the .unitypackage installer

1. Download [AI-Game-Dev-Installer.unitypackage](https://github.com/IvanMurzak/Unity-MCP/releases/latest/download/AI-Game-Dev-Installer.unitypackage).
2. Open your project in Unity.
3. Double-click the file, or use **Assets > Import Package > Custom Package** and pick it.
4. Click **Import**.

The installer is a small editor script. It adds the OpenUPM scoped registry and the plugin dependency to `Packages/manifest.json`, then deletes itself from `Assets`. The Package Manager then downloads the real package.

## What happens on first open

After the package arrives, the plugin prepares itself:

- It downloads the .NET libraries it needs (the MCP plugin library, ReflectorNet, RQL, SignalR, System.Text.Json and others) from NuGet into `Assets/Plugins/NuGet`, with a cache in `Library/NuGetCache`, and Unity recompiles once. If those DLLs ever get out of sync, use **Tools > AI Game Developer > Dependencies > Force Resolve NuGet DLLs**.
- It downloads the `gamedev-mcp-server` binary for your platform from GitHub to `Library/mcp-server/<platform>/` (for example `win-x64`, `osx-arm64` or `linux-x64`). The server is started only in Custom mode with the HTTP transport; Cloud mode, the default, starts no local server.
- The **AI Game Developer** window becomes available under **Window > AI Game Developer — MCP** (shortcut Ctrl+Alt+A, or Cmd+Option+A on macOS). The Scene View toolbar also gets an **AI** overlay button that opens it.

`Library/` is excluded from version control by default, so the server binary is never committed. In CI environments the plugin skips the server download and start.

## Updating the plugin

When a newer version is on OpenUPM, the plugin shows an update popup at Editor startup. You can check by hand with **Tools > AI Game Developer > Updates > Check for Updates**. To update, change the version in the Package Manager, re-run `unity-mcp-cli install-plugin` (it installs the latest), or let the desktop app update it.

For teams where one person owns the plugin version, open **Edit > Project Settings > AI Game Developer** and enable **Disable update notifications for the entire team**. The setting is saved in `ProjectSettings/AI-Game-Developer-UpdateSettings.asset`; commit that file. The same toggle is in **Tools > AI Game Developer > Updates > Disable Update Notifications (Team)**.

## Uninstalling

1. Open **Window > Package Manager**, select **AI Game Developer — MCP** and click **Remove**, or run `unity-mcp-cli remove-plugin ./MyUnityProject`. The CLI keeps the scoped registry, because other packages may use it.
2. Close Unity and delete the `Assets/Plugins/NuGet` folder and its `Assets/Plugins/NuGet.meta` file.

## Next steps

- [Getting started](https://ai-game.dev/docs/wiki/unity/getting-started): connect an AI client and run your first prompt.
- [Extensions](https://ai-game.dev/docs/wiki/unity/extensions): add tool packs for Cinemachine, ProBuilder, Tilemap and more.
- If something fails during install, see [Troubleshooting](https://ai-game.dev/docs/wiki/unity/troubleshooting).

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Source (HTML): https://ai-game.dev/docs/wiki/unity/installation