Steam Local MCP

What steam-local-mcp MCP server does

The steam-local-mcp MCP server connects an MCP-capable agent to the Steam client installed for the current Windows user. It can inspect games across configured Steam libraries, find installed titles by name or app ID, launch an installed game, and open library, Store, or standard client pages.

Local status tools read Steam's app manifests rather than contacting Steam servers. They report installation and download-related states, including pending updates and current progress when recorded locally. Storage reporting includes installed-game counts, manifest-reported sizes, and available disk space for each library.

The server also provides public Store functions. Agents can search the Store for app IDs and retrieve metadata such as genres, release date, price, and Metacritic score. Store descriptions are optional and treated as untrusted external text.

How it works

The steam-local-mcp MCP server uses the standard stdio transport, so the MCP client starts it as a local command. It requires Windows 10 or newer, Steam installed for the current Windows user, and Node.js 20 or newer. Steam detection checks STEAM_PATH, Windows registry locations, conventional installation paths, and then steam.exe on PATH.

When a client action needs Steam, the server can start the Steam client quietly. Launching is restricted to games found in local installed-game manifests. Installing a game sends a numeric app ID to Steam; Steam performs ownership validation and manages the installation process.

Optional account features use the Steam Web API. With STEAM_API_KEY and STEAM_ID configured, the server can retrieve the user's library, playtime, last-played information, and recently played games. Privacy settings on the Steam profile can limit these results.

Setup and configuration

Install the published package through npm and configure the MCP client to run npx -y steam-local-mcp. Credentials, when needed, should be supplied through the MCP client's environment configuration or the operating system. The server does not load .env files automatically.

Set STEAM_PATH when Steam is installed in a portable or unusual location; the value can identify the Steam directory or its executable. Set STEAM_MCP_CACHE_DIR to change the default cache location under %LOCALAPPDATA%\steam-local-mcp\cache.

For source-based development, clone the repository, run npm install, build with npm run build, and configure the client to execute the compiled entry point with Node.js.

Tools and capabilities

The steam-local-mcp MCP server exposes tools for:

• Listing and finding locally installed games.
• Reading install, update, download, and paused-download states.
• Launching games and opening Steam client pages.
• Searching the public Store and reading game metadata.
• Requesting Steam installations by numeric app ID.
• Reporting Steam detection and client status.
• Reading account library and recently played data when Web API credentials are available.
• Clearing cached Web API and Store metadata.

Limitations and notes

This is a Windows-focused local server and depends on Steam being installed for the current user. Local status does not force Steam to check for updates; a false pending-update state means no update is currently recorded in the local manifest, not that the game is fully current.

There is no purchase or uninstall tool. Store and Web API responses may be cached, and account results depend on Steam privacy settings. Keep API credentials private and do not commit them to source control.