Steam MCP Server

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

Get game news

get_game_news

Read-only

Retrieve recent news and patch notes for any Steam game by appid. Returns title, date, author, excerpt, and link; follow the link for full text.

Instructions

Get recent news / patch notes for a game by appid (title, date, author, excerpt, link). Each excerpt is the first ~400 characters of the post with HTML stripped — follow url for the full text. An unknown/unassigned appid comes back as an empty list rather than an error, the same as get_global_achievements. Get the appid from search_games. No API key required.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`appid`	Yes	Steam application id (appid). Get it from search_games.
`limit`	No	How many news items (1-20). Default 5.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`items`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed12 schema fields changedv0.14.0Sep 27, 2026
- removedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / author / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / author / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / date / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / date / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / excerpt / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / excerpt / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / feed / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / feed / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / title / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / title / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
- removedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / url / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / items / items / properties / url / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
Changed4 schema fields changedv0.12.1Jul 30, 2026
- addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```
- addedInput schema / properties / limit / default
```
Added value: +5
```
- addedInput schema / properties / limit / exclusiveMinimum
```
Added value: +0
```
- removedInput schema / properties / limit / minimum
```
Removed value: -1
```
Addedv0.10.4Jul 26, 2026
Removedv0.9.0Jul 18, 2026
First observedv0.1.0Jun 29, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the readOnlyHint and openWorldHint annotations, the description adds important behavioral details: excerpts are the first ~400 characters with HTML stripped, full text is behind the url, unknown appids return an empty list rather than an error, and no API key is required. This genuinely enriches the agent's understanding of runtime behavior.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Every sentence in the description earns its place: purpose, excerpt truncation behavior, empty-list behavior, appid source, and auth requirement. It is appropriately sized, front-loaded, and contains no filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a simple two-parameter tool with an output schema, the description is remarkably complete. It covers what the tool returns, how the excerpt is truncated, what happens for unknown appids, how to obtain the appid, and that no authentication is needed. Nothing essential for invoking it correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents both appid and limit, including defaults and ranges. The description repeats the 'get appid from search_games' guidance but adds no new parameter semantics beyond what the schema provides.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb and resource: 'Get recent news / patch notes for a game by appid'. It lists the returned fields (title, date, author, excerpt, link), making it clearly distinct from sibling tools like get_game_reviews or get_global_achievements.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear context: it is for recent news/patch notes, the appid should come from search_games, and an unknown appid yields an empty list. It does not explicitly name alternative tools or state when not to use this tool, but the context is sufficient for correct selection.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.