Hermes Agent's biggest update yet brings iMessage, auto background agents, Unreal Engine 5.8 MCP, and a new dashboard
Hermes Agent's latest release is framed as its most significant update to date, with the headline feature being native iMessage support via a free service called Photon. The workflow model suggested is iMessage for quick on-the-go interactions, the desktop app at a computer, and Telegram only when threaded deep-work conversations are needed.
Background agents received a significant upgrade: previously requiring a manual flag to activate, they now spin up automatically when a prompt is complex enough. The host demonstrated five simultaneous sub-agents executing 28 tool calls for investment research, with a new sub-agent tree UI showing each agent's commands and focus areas in real time.
A notable integration is Unreal Engine 5.8, which reportedly launched with MCP support for the first time, enabling Hermes to build and iterate on games directly within the engine. The host positioned this as meaningfully more capable than browser-based 3D tools like Three.js for serious game development, and claimed the integration carries no additional cost.
The desktop app gained several quality-of-life improvements: individual chats can now open in separate windows, a model selector allows switching models and thinking levels without config files, and a built-in terminal removes the need to leave the Hermes window. The new `hermes dashboard` command opens a web UI featuring a Kanban board, a profile builder for managing multiple agent configurations, and a Skills Hub with hundreds of community skills and security scanning.
The bottom line is that Hermes is leaning heavily into self-configuration—users can reportedly instruct the agent to find, install, and customize any new feature or skill itself, including building safer custom versions of community skills rather than installing them directly.
Hermes Agent rolled out a major update adding native iMessage support, automatically triggered background sub-agents, and integration with Unreal Engine 5.8's new MCP. A new web dashboard replaces manual config editing with a profile builder and community Skills Hub.
For any new Hermes feature setup, users can instruct the agent directly—e.g., 'look at the latest Hermes update, install Unreal Engine 5.8 MCP so I can give you commands on how to build games'—and the agent will configure it automatically.
Hermes Agent just had its biggest update ever and is now way better than Open Claw.
Hermes Agent now supports native iMessage, allowing users to chat with their agent directly through iMessage on their phone.
iMessage integration with Hermes is run through a free service called Photon, which provides a phone number that routes to the Hermes agent.
Previously, background agents in Hermes needed to be turned on manually by flipping a flag; now they activate automatically when given a sufficiently complex prompt.
Background agents allow Hermes to spin up sub-agents that do work in the background while the user continues chatting with the main agent.
The host demonstrated five sub-agents performing 28 different tool calls simultaneously to conduct investment research.
A new sub-agent tree UI shows each spawned sub-agent, the commands they are running, and what they are focused on.
Unreal Engine 5.8 was just released and for the first time supports MCP, enabling AI agents like Hermes to build games within it.
Using Unreal Engine 5.8 MCP with Hermes agent does not cost anything.
The Hermes desktop app now allows users to open individual chats in their own separate windows via right-clicking a session and selecting 'new window'.
The desktop app now includes a model selector at the bottom, allowing users to switch models, thinking levels, and edit model configs without using slash commands or config files.
The Hermes desktop app now includes a built-in terminal so users can run commands without leaving the Hermes window.
A new profile builder in the Hermes dashboard replaces the previous manual process of editing config files to spin up multiple Hermes agents with different models and skills.
The Hermes dashboard now includes a Skills Hub where users can browse and install hundreds of community skills and run security scans on them.
Hermes agent now creates and updates its own skills significantly more frequently and effectively than before, performing self-improvement reviews automatically during use.
After repeated prompting, Hermes continuously improved its Unreal Engine MCP skill through self-improvement reviews, resolving initial performance struggles.
Telegram launched new formatting features and Hermes implemented them all, including tables, lists, bold formatting, and smoother word streaming.
3.js is described as 'kind of an unserious browser engine' compared to Unreal Engine for building complex 3D games.
Use iMessage when on the go for quick messages, the desktop app when at a computer, and Telegram on the go only when threading for complex deep work is needed.
Hook Hermes up to iMessage using Photon according to the best practices from the new update.
Run 'Hermes dashboard' in your terminal to open the web browser experience for Hermes, which includes the Kanban board, profile builder, and skills hub.
Instead of downloading skills directly, take the skill.md file, give it to the agent, and say 'make your own version of this, and make sure it's safe for us' so the agent builds a custom, use-case-specific version.
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