How to Set the Game Type on a Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server

Set the mode with mp_gamemode, then make sure the same mode appears in sv_gametypes. For a versus server, for example, use mp_gamemode "versus" and sv_gametypes "versus". Put both commands in server.cfg, or pass them on the server’s startup command line. The values must agree or the server may run one mode while being absent from the matching lobby filter.

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The examples below use standard Source dedicated-server syntax. Community guides for these commands are old and no current Valve reference was located, so test the final configuration on the build you operate before opening the server to players.

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What the two settings do

Left 4 Dead 2 uses two related console variables rather than one universal “game type” switch:

mp_gamemode is singular: it should contain the one mode you want active after the next map or restart. sv_gametypes is a comma-separated allow-list. A server that should offer both cooperative and versus games can use sv_gametypes "coop,versus", while mp_gamemode still identifies the mode currently running.

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For reliable listing, keep the active value in mp_gamemode inside the list in sv_gametypes. If those values do not match, players can see a server in an unexpected category, or not see it in the lobby filter they selected.

Choose the mode before editing files

Use the mode name exactly as the server expects it. The commonly used values are:

Start with a mode that is known to work on your installation, such as coop, versus, survival or scavenge. Treat dash, holdout and shootzone as build-dependent: if the server rejects one, remove it from the allow-list and verify whether an installed campaign, plugin or mutation actually provides it.

Set a fixed mode in server.cfg

A configuration file is the easiest option when the server should start in the same mode every time. Back up the existing file first, then add or edit the relevant lines in the server.cfg loaded by your Left 4 Dead 2 server:

hostname "My L4D2 Server"
mp_gamemode "versus"
sv_gametypes "versus"
sv_lan 0
sv_region 255

The first three lines are the game-type settings. The example also includes the hostname, LAN setting and region value shown in community configurations; retain or change those only to match your own deployment. They are not substitutes for mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes.

Allow several modes

If players should be able to start more than one type of game, list each permitted value, separated by commas:

sv_gametypes "coop,versus,survival"
mp_gamemode "coop"

This tells the server that cooperative, versus and survival are allowed, while the current startup mode is cooperative. To start in versus instead, change only the mp_gamemode line to mp_gamemode "versus"; leave versus in the allow-list.

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Formatting rules

• Use the variable names exactly: mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes.
• Put the value in quotes, especially when the allow-list contains several entries.
• Separate allow-list entries with commas, not semicolons or spaces.
• Do not add comments to the middle of a value.
• Save the file as plain text and confirm that the server account can read it.

After saving, restart the server or trigger a map change so the startup configuration is actually read. A file edit alone does not change an already running process.

Set the mode on the launch command line

You can supply the same variables when launching the dedicated server. A community-assembled example is:

srcds.exe -console -game left4dead2 +sv_gametypes "coop,versus,survival" +mp_gamemode versus +exec server.cfg +map c2m1_highway

This line starts the Left 4 Dead 2 game, permits three modes, starts with versus active, executes server.cfg, and loads c2m1_highway. The exact executable path, wrapper syntax and quoting rules vary by operating system and hosting panel. The line above was assembled from community usage rather than copied from a current Valve reference, so verify it on your installation.

When to prefer the launch line

• Use it for a temporary test mode without permanently editing the file.
• Use it when a service manager creates separate launch profiles for different modes.
• Use it to diagnose which value is being applied when several configuration files exist.

If both the launch line and a configuration file set the same variable, the value applied later in the startup sequence wins. This is why a server can appear to ignore a correct server.cfg: a launch argument or another executed file may overwrite it.

Use autoexec.cfg when the allow-list must be enforced

Some community guidance recommends putting sv_gametypes in autoexec.cfg. The intent is to apply the allow-list automatically and make it harder for someone with command-line access to replace it. A minimal example is:

sv_gametypes "coop,versus"
mp_gamemode "coop"

Whether this is the right choice depends on who controls the machine. If administrators need to change modes from a launch profile, keep the value in that profile or in server.cfg instead. If command-line users should not broaden the permitted modes, enforce the allow-list in the startup configuration that your service actually loads and restrict write access to that configuration.

Do not assume that creating autoexec.cfg automatically makes it run. Confirm that your launch process executes it, and inspect the startup console for errors. If the file is not loaded, the server will continue using its previous value or a default.

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Change the mode on a running server

For a quick test, enter the commands in the dedicated-server console or through your authorized remote console:

sv_gametypes "versus"
mp_gamemode "versus"

Changing a console variable while a map is in progress may not rebuild every mode-specific rule immediately. Treat a map change or full restart as the validation point. Once the new map has loaded, query the variables from the console and confirm that both return the values you intended. A runtime change is also temporary unless you write the same values to the configuration that runs at the next startup.

Why the server is missing from the expected lobby filter

The active mode and the advertised allow-list are both relevant to discovery. For example, a server with mp_gamemode "versus" but sv_gametypes "coop" has contradictory settings: it is running versus while declaring only cooperative play as allowed. Align them before troubleshooting network visibility.

1. Stop or restart the server after editing the configuration.
2. Confirm that the startup log shows the intended mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes values.
3. Load a map and query both variables from the server console.
4. Choose the lobby filter corresponding to the exact active value, such as Versus or Coop.
5. If the server still does not appear, test with a simple, confirmed mode such as coop or versus before investigating other networking or lobby settings.

A correct game-type configuration cannot by itself fix a separate connectivity, firewall, port, authentication or registration problem. First establish that the mode values are correct; then investigate those independent causes.

Troubleshooting common configuration failures

The server always starts in Coop

Check every startup source, not just server.cfg. A launch argument such as +mp_gamemode coop, an autoexec file, a hosting-panel variable or a later exec command can replace your versus setting. Remove the conflicting assignment or place the desired assignment in the configuration that runs last, then restart and verify after a map loads.

The server runs the mode but is not listed under it

Read both variables from the console. If the active value is not present in sv_gametypes, add it to the comma-separated list and restart. Also check for spelling, quotation marks and accidental spaces or line breaks inside the value.

A specialized mode is rejected

The community list includes dash, holdout and shootzone, but those names were not independently confirmed against the current game build. If one produces an unknown-command or invalid-value error, test with a standard mode and verify that the required campaign, mutation or server extension is installed before trying again.

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Changes disappear after a restart

The edit was made only at runtime, the wrong configuration file was changed, or another startup source is overwriting it. Put the values in the file or launch profile that is actually executed, restart, and inspect the startup output rather than relying on the editor’s saved state.

Players can change the permitted list

If command-line access is available to untrusted users, do not rely on a value they can replace at launch. Put the intended sv_gametypes in the startup configuration controlled by the operator and restrict access to that configuration. The exact access-control method depends on your operating system or hosting panel.

Custom content behaves differently

Some operators use sv_consistency 0 to permit custom content, while others use sv_consistency 1 to enforce consistency. Choose the value based on whether your server should allow modified files; it is separate from game-type selection. Changing it will not correct a mismatch between mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes.

Mode-specific configuration examples

Versus-only server

mp_gamemode "versus"
sv_gametypes "versus"

Use this when the server should advertise and start only versus. Keeping the list to one value reduces ambiguity when players use lobby filters.

Cooperative server that may also host versus

mp_gamemode "coop"
sv_gametypes "coop,versus"

This starts in Coop while permitting a later versus selection. If you want the next restart to begin in versus, change the first line to mp_gamemode "versus"; do not remove versus from the allow-list.

Survival server

mp_gamemode "survival"
sv_gametypes "survival"

After restarting, verify that the loaded map and the lobby category both reflect Survival. If the build does not accept the value, test a standard mode and check the server console for the exact error.

A repeatable validation checklist

1. Decide whether the server is fixed to one mode or allowed to offer several.
2. Choose values supported by your current installation.
3. Set mp_gamemode to the mode that should run first.
4. Set sv_gametypes to a comma-separated list containing that mode.
5. Remove conflicting assignments from launch arguments, autoexec files and service-panel fields.
6. Save the configuration as plain text and confirm the server process can read it.
7. Restart the server or perform a map change.
8. Query both variables from the server console after the map loads.
9. Check the corresponding lobby filter from a client.
10. Record the working values in your deployment notes so a future update does not silently revert them.

The essential rule is simple: mp_gamemode says what is running now, while sv_gametypes says what the server is willing to run and advertise. Set both deliberately, apply them from the configuration source that actually loads, and verify the result after a restart.

Quick Recap

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$74.24

Bestseller No. 3

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The game features four different survivors, a new storyline and new dialog.

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Bestseller No. 4

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