Set the server’s startup variable to +server.gamemode hardcore, restart the RustDedicated process, and verify the loaded mode in the console or through RCON. Make the change for a new wipe: Facepunch warns that changing gamemodes during a wipe resets every player and inventory with no way to undo it.
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What the Hardcore setting does
Hardcore is a server gamemode selected through Rust’s normal gamemode variable. It is not a separate server build or a client-side option. The setting is read when the dedicated server starts, and an administrator can also change it at runtime with the gamemode command.
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Before changing the server
- Plan a restart. The startup variable is applied when RustDedicated launches. Schedule a maintenance window and tell players when the server will be unavailable.
- Choose a new wipe. Facepunch’s server-gamemode documentation says not to switch modes mid-wipe because the change resets all players and their inventories with no possibility of reverting it.
- Secure administrative access. You need access to the process startup arguments, the server configuration file, a hosting panel with restart controls, or an authenticated console/RCON account.
- Record the current configuration. Save a copy of the existing launch command and
server.cfgbefore editing. This gives you a known configuration to restore if another startup option is lost. - Confirm the target server identity. A self-hosted installation can have more than one identity directory. Edit the
server.cfgbelonging to the instance you actually restart.
Method 1: add Hardcore to the startup command
This is the standard method for a dedicated server. Facepunch documents the syntax as +server.gamemode <name>; replace the name with hardcore.
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- Stop the RustDedicated process, or prepare the host’s restart action so the process will be relaunched after the edit.
- Open the script, service definition, container command, or control-panel field that starts RustDedicated.
- Append this argument to the existing startup arguments:
+server.gamemode hardcore. - Save the startup configuration without removing the other server settings.
- Start or restart the server.
- After the server finishes loading, check the console or connect through RCON and confirm that the active gamemode is Hardcore before announcing the wipe.
Do not put the leading plus sign in a configuration-file variable. The plus sign belongs to the command-line form; the file form is different, as shown below.
About the older -gamemode hardcore syntax
Facepunch’s original Hardcore announcement (26 August 2022) told owners to use -gamemode hardcore in the startup configuration. Current gamemode documentation identifies +server.gamemode hardcore as the startup method. If an old launch script contains the historical form, update it to the documented +server.gamemode hardcore form when you next maintain the server, rather than adding both forms and creating ambiguity about which setting is authoritative.
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Method 2: make the setting persistent in server.cfg
For a self-hosted installation, Facepunch’s server-creation guidance says the server reads server.cfg at startup. Variables in that file omit command-line prefixes, so the line is:
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server.gamemode hardcore- Stop the server or use a maintenance window before editing its files.
- Open
rust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfgfor the instance you operate. - Add
server.gamemode hardcoreon its own line. Do not add+or-before the variable. - Save the file and restart RustDedicated.
- Verify the active mode in the server console or with RCON after startup.
The file setting is useful when a service manager or launch wrapper is reused frequently: the mode remains in the instance configuration instead of depending on someone remembering to edit a command each time. If your launcher supplies a conflicting value, keep one deliberate source of truth and remove the obsolete setting after testing.
Method 3: use the runtime console or RCON command
Facepunch documents gamemode.set <name> as the runtime command. On a running server, an administrator can issue:
gamemode.set hardcoreUse an authenticated local console or RCON session, then inspect the resulting console messages and current server behavior. A runtime command is useful for an administrator who cannot edit the launch command immediately, but it does not replace a persistent startup or server.cfg setting. Put the permanent setting in place before the next restart so the server does not return to its previous mode.
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Because switching gamemodes can reset players and inventories, treat this command as a maintenance operation rather than a harmless live toggle. Run it only at the wipe boundary you have communicated to players.
Method 4: enable Hardcore in a managed hosting panel
Many Rust hosting control panels expose a Server game mode selector. The exact label, location, and restart button vary by provider, so use the host’s current documentation for its interface.
- Open the server’s configuration or gameplay settings in the panel.
- Find the field labelled Server game mode or an equivalent gamemode selector.
- Choose Hardcore.
- Save or apply the setting.
- Use the panel’s restart control, not just a browser refresh, so the dedicated process reads the new value.
- Check the live console. If the panel provides an RCON terminal,
gamemode.set hardcoreis the documented runtime alternative.
Some panels generate a startup command behind the scenes; others write a configuration file. If the mode disappears after a restart, inspect the generated startup arguments or ask the provider which setting has precedence. Do not assume that a panel’s display value means the running process has already reloaded it.
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How to verify that Hardcore is actually active
Verification should be performed after the restart and before players reconnect for the new wipe.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Console check: review the startup log for the loaded gamemode or the configuration values reported during initialization.
- RCON check: connect with an administrator account and use the documented gamemode command path available on your server. Confirm the command is accepted and that the server remains online.
- Configuration check: re-open the launch definition or
rust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfgand confirm the intended value is still present. - Gameplay check: use a controlled administrator session to confirm the Hardcore rules expected for your current Rust build. Do not use an older feature list as proof that a rule exists today.
If the console shows a different mode than the file or panel, the running process is the authority. Stop it, identify which startup source is being used, correct that source, and restart again.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not switch modes during an active wipe
This is the most important operational warning. Facepunch’s gamemode documentation states: “DO NOT switch between gamemodes mid-wipe. This will reset all players and their inventory with no possibility to revert.” A runtime command, a panel selector, and a startup argument all change the same underlying gamemode; none provides a safe mid-wipe conversion.
For an orderly migration:
- Announce the planned wipe time and explain that the mode change is destructive.
- Stop admitting new players shortly before maintenance.
- Back up any server files you need for administrative records, while making clear that a backup does not make an in-place gamemode conversion reversible for players.
- Apply the startup or
server.cfgsetting. - Restart the server and verify Hardcore before opening it to players.
- Start the new wipe only after the active mode and expected rules have been checked.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Hardcore is selected by the same Rust gamemode setting in either environment. The practical difference is who controls the files, process, and maintenance schedule.
| Decision point | Self-hosted server | Managed Rust server |
|---|---|---|
| Startup arguments | Direct access to the RustDedicated command, service definition, or launch script. | Usually represented by a panel field; the provider may hide the generated command. |
server.cfg access |
You can edit rust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfg directly. |
Access depends on the provider; some expose files, while others require a panel setting or support request. |
| Console and RCON | You configure and secure the console/RCON service yourself. | The panel commonly supplies a console or RCON tool, subject to the provider’s permissions. |
| Restart and wipe scheduling | You schedule the service restart and wipe procedure. | The host may offer scheduled restarts, but the exact controls and timing are provider-specific. |
| Configuration convenience | Maximum control, with more responsibility for preserving valid arguments and file paths. | Faster menu-driven changes, with less visibility into generated configuration. |
| Support | You troubleshoot the operating system, service manager, and Rust process. | The provider can help with panel and process issues; support boundaries differ by plan. |
Choose the arrangement that gives you reliable access to the setting, a working restart path, and a wipe schedule you can communicate. A managed server is not automatically configured for Hardcore simply because it runs Rust; the gamemode selector or startup argument still has to be changed.
Troubleshooting common failures
The server starts in the old mode
- Confirm that you restarted the dedicated process rather than only saving the panel page.
- Check the actual launch command or generated configuration used by the running service.
- Make sure the argument is exactly
+server.gamemode hardcoreand is not placed in a field that accepts only file-style variables. - If using
server.cfg, confirm the line is exactlyserver.gamemode hardcore, without a leading plus or minus. - Check whether another startup source overwrites the value and remove the conflicting definition.
The panel has no Hardcore option
Look for an advanced startup-argument field or a file manager that exposes server.cfg. If neither exists, ask the host whether its current Rust build supports the Hardcore gamemode and how it persists custom variables. Do not substitute an unrelated “hard” difficulty option; the required setting is the Rust gamemode variable.
The runtime command is rejected
Use an authenticated administrator console or RCON connection and enter gamemode.set hardcore exactly. If the command is accepted but vanishes after a restart, add the persistent startup or file setting. If it is rejected, check the server build, administrative permissions, and the host’s command restrictions before attempting another wipe.
Players report unexpected rules
Compare the server’s Rust build with the current Facepunch announcement or changelog. The 2022 description and the 2025 “Harder Core” description are not interchangeable; later releases can add restrictions or alter how map discovery and other systems work. Record the build and the rules you communicated so players know which version they are joining.
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- Identify whether the server is self-hosted or managed.
- Back up the existing startup configuration.
- Schedule the change at a new wipe boundary.
- Add
+server.gamemode hardcoreto startup arguments, or addserver.gamemode hardcoretorust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfg. - Restart RustDedicated.
- Verify the loaded mode in the console or through RCON.
- Check the current build’s Hardcore rules before describing gameplay to players.
- Open the server only after confirming the setting survived the restart.
The Bottom Line
For a persistent setup, use +server.gamemode hardcore in the RustDedicated startup arguments or server.gamemode hardcore in rust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfg, then restart and verify. Apply it at a new wipe, never in the middle of one.
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