How to Host a CS2 Dedicated Server

What a CS2 server needs

• The server files — CS2's dedicated server is the same Steam app as the game, 730, about 60 GB.
• A Game Server Login Token (GSLT) — without it, other players cannot join your server.
• Hardware — Valve lists at least 2 GB of RAM and a 64-bit processor from the last decade; on Linux, a current distribution such as Ubuntu 20.04 or newer.
• Open ports — 27015 on TCP and UDP for the game, and 27020 UDP if you use SourceTV.

Install and start the server

With SteamCMD, the server downloads anonymously:

steamcmd +force_install_dir ./cs2-server +login anonymous +app_update 730 validate +quit

Then start it with a map and your token. On Linux, from the game folder:

./cs2.sh -dedicated +map de_dust2 +sv_setsteamaccount YOUR_GSLT

On Windows the program is game\bin\win64\cs2.exe with the same options. Add -port to change the port and -maxplayers to set the slots. Update the server with the same SteamCMD command whenever CS2 updates, or players on the new version cannot join.

Get a Game Server Login Token (GSLT)

1. Open steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers and log in.
2. Enter app ID 730 and a note to remember the server by, and create the token.
3. Pass it to the server with +sv_setsteamaccount.

The Steam account must own CS2, have a phone number attached, and not be limited, locked or community-banned. Use one token per server; a token that is never used expires, and resetting your Steam password creates new ones. If a server breaks the rules, its token can be banned — and that can affect the account that owns it.

Game modes and tick rate

The mode is set by two values on the command line, or by game_alias:

Tick rate: CS2 has no tick rate setting. With sub-tick, Valve says the exact moment you move, shoot or throw is registered regardless of tick rate, so there is no 128-tick option to switch on — any guide telling you to set -tickrate is written for CS:GO.

Set up a CS2 practice server

Save this as practice.cfg in game/csgo/cfg/ and run exec practice in the server console. Every command here exists in the current CS2 build:

sv_cheats 1
bot_kick
mp_warmup_end
mp_freezetime 0
mp_roundtime_defuse 60
mp_buytime 9999
mp_buy_anywhere 1
mp_startmoney 60000
mp_maxmoney 60000
sv_infinite_ammo 1
ammo_grenade_limit_total 5
sv_grenade_trajectory_prac_pipreview 1
sv_showimpacts 1
mp_restartgame 1

With sv_cheats 1 on, sv_rethrow_last_grenade throws your last grenade again, and noclip lets you fly to lineup spots. The CS:GO trajectory commands such as sv_grenade_trajectory no longer exist; CS2 replaced them with the sv_grenade_trajectory_prac_ commands above.

Workshop maps and plugins

Workshop maps: host_workshop_map <id> loads one map by its Workshop ID, and host_workshop_collection <id> hosts a whole collection as the map rotation. The first start waits until the maps have downloaded.

Plugins: SourceMod does not exist for CS2. Plugins run on Metamod:Source 2.0, which is still published as development builds, usually with CounterStrikeSharp on top. Both are community projects you install yourself, and a CS2 update can break them until they are updated — check their pages before you rely on a plugin.

CS2 server hosting on HytHost

1. Order with the slots you need on CS2 hosting. The game is installed for you.
2. Open the Startup tab and paste your GSLT. The same tab holds the map, the game mode, a Workshop collection, VAC and RCON. A Workshop collection replaces the map rotation, and the first start waits for the maps to download.
3. Upload configs such as practice.cfg to game/csgo/cfg in the file manager, and run them from the panel console.
4. Join with the address and port shown in your panel.

Plugins are not preinstalled. If you add Metamod:Source and CounterStrikeSharp, upload them yourself and check them after each CS2 update.