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Change a Rust server’s mode by setting the server.gamemode convar to vanilla, softcore, hardcore or primitive, then restart the server. Put the setting in either the startup arguments or server.cfg—not both. Plan the change for the beginning of a fresh wipe because changing mode can reset player data.
The setting you need
Rust reads the game mode from the server.gamemode convar. The Rust Wiki documents the startup form as:
+server.gamemode <name>For a configuration file, use the convar without the leading plus sign:
server.gamemode <name>Replace <name> with one of the supported mode names. A hosting control panel may call the startup-argument box “Additional Arguments” or use a similar label. In that case, enter the +server.gamemode form there. If your host provides a server configuration editor, enter the server.gamemode line in server.cfg instead.
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Use one configuration location only. Defining the mode in both startup arguments and server.cfg can create a conflict that makes it difficult to tell which value the server is using. If the value is empty in a host panel, the host documentation describes that as the default mode.
Rust’s four game modes
| Mode value | What it means | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|
vanilla |
Rust’s default gameplay rules. | Use this when you want the standard rule set. |
softcore |
A more forgiving version of vanilla. | Teams are limited to four players; players keep 50% of their inventory and 50% of their hotbar after death; player-versus-player damage is reduced by 25%. |
hardcore |
Vanilla with many features disabled or limited. | Community servers can still use the value. Facepunch’s official Hardcore servers were shut down in November 2023, and the last Hardcore update listed by the Rust Wiki was in September 2022. |
primitive |
A restricted-items ruleset set in Rust’s primitive era. | The setting represents a distant future in which knowledge of high-technology items has been lost, leaving basic items available. |
The mode name is lowercase. Do not enter a display label such as “Softcore Mode” or “Hardcore Server”; enter only the convar value.
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Before you change the mode
Schedule the change around a wipe
Changing the game mode can completely reset player data. A mode change in the middle of a wipe can therefore erase progress, inventories and other player-state data, depending on the host’s implementation. Treat the change as a wipe-affecting operation and announce it before maintenance.
- Tell players the target mode and the planned restart time.
- Back up the server data if your host offers a backup or snapshot feature.
- Record the current mode, map seed, map size and other settings you need to restore.
- Make the change at the start of a fresh wipe whenever possible.
- Do not assume a mode change preserves existing characters just because the map files remain present.
If preserving the current wipe is more important than changing the rules, postpone the change until the next wipe and leave the current server.gamemode value untouched.
Method 1: Change the mode in startup arguments
Startup arguments are the most direct method when you manage the server from a control panel, a service definition or a launch script. The exact screen name varies by host, but the value is the same.
Control-panel procedure
- Stop the Rust server from the control panel. Do not edit the setting while the server is still running unless the panel explicitly supports that workflow.
- Open the server’s startup settings, launch parameters or “Additional Arguments” field.
- Add the mode argument, including the leading plus sign. For example:
+server.gamemode softcore - Remove any other
+server.gamemodeentry from the same field. Keep a single value. - Save the configuration.
- Start or restart the server.
- Join the server and verify the active rules in a controlled test, such as checking the team-size limit or the softcore reclaim behavior.
For the other modes, substitute the value:
+server.gamemode vanilla
+server.gamemode hardcore
+server.gamemode primitiveDo not copy all four lines into a launch field. Only one mode can be the intended value.
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Launch-script example
If your server is started by a shell script or service command, place the argument alongside the other Rust startup parameters:
./RustDedicated -batchmode +server.gamemode vanillaThe executable path and the rest of the command differ by installation. The relevant part is +server.gamemode vanilla; do not replace unrelated arguments unless you know they are obsolete for your setup.
Method 2: Change the mode in server.cfg
Some hosts and self-managed installations load server convars from server.cfg. In that file, use the setting without the plus sign:
server.gamemode softcoreFile-based procedure
- Stop the server cleanly.
- Open the installation’s
server.cfgfile with the host’s file editor, FTP/SFTP client or local text editor. - Add or edit one line so it reads, for example,
server.gamemode primitive. - Save the file as plain text. Do not add quotation marks around the mode name.
- Check that startup arguments do not also contain
+server.gamemode. If they do, remove one of the two definitions and keep the location you intend to manage. - Start the server.
- Confirm the mode in-game and watch the startup console for configuration errors.
The file name and location can differ between installations. If your host does not expose server.cfg, use its startup-argument field instead of creating an arbitrary file that the server may never load.
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Rust also exposes a runtime command named gamemode.set. In a server console or an RCON tool that accepts the command, the syntax is:
gamemode.set softcoreThis is useful for testing whether the server accepts a mode value without editing its launch configuration. A runtime change is not a substitute for putting the desired value in the one persistent configuration location you use. After testing, set the same intended mode in startup arguments or server.cfg so the next restart does not revert to a different value.
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Use the runtime command only when you have authorized console or RCON access. Never publish RCON credentials in a script, support post or chat message. If the command is rejected, use the startup method; host panels may restrict runtime convars or may not expose the command at all.
Complete change procedure
This sequence works whether you use a panel or a self-managed server:
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- Check wipe timing. Because a mode change can reset player data, schedule it for a new wipe and notify players.
- Stop the server. Wait until the process has shut down rather than editing files while it is writing data.
- Choose one configuration location. Use startup arguments or
server.cfg, never both for this convar. - Enter the exact value. Use
+server.gamemode namein startup arguments orserver.gamemode nameinserver.cfg. - Save and restart. A startup convar is read when the server launches.
- Verify in the running server. Test behavior that distinguishes the selected mode instead of relying only on the panel’s saved text.
- Record the final configuration. Note the mode and wipe date so another administrator does not unknowingly change it later.
How to verify that the new mode is active
Check the launch output
Review the startup console after the restart. Confirm that the command line or loaded configuration contains the intended server.gamemode value. If the console shows two different definitions, remove the duplicate and restart again.
Test mode-specific behavior
- Vanilla: Use it as the baseline standard-rules configuration.
- Softcore: Confirm that the server is using a four-player maximum team size and the documented 50% inventory and 50% hotbar death-reclaim behavior. Player-versus-player damage should use the softcore reduction.
- Hardcore: Test the restrictions that matter to your community; the mode is defined by disabled or limited features rather than a single visible toggle.
- Primitive: Check that the intended restricted-item experience is present and that high-technology progression is not available as it would be in ordinary vanilla play.
For softcore, the Rust Wiki lists reclaim convars named gamemodesoftcore.reclaim_fraction_belt, gamemodesoftcore.reclaim_fraction_main and gamemodesoftcore.reclaim_fraction_wear. Their documented defaults are 0.5, 0.5 and 0 respectively. If you are auditing a customized server, inspect those values rather than assuming the defaults are unchanged.
Verify after a second restart
Stop and start the server once more after your initial test if you need to prove persistence. A mode that works only through a live command but disappears after a restart has not been saved in the persistent configuration you intended to use.
Troubleshooting a mode that will not change
The panel says it saved, but the server still uses the old mode
- Stop the server before editing and perform a full restart rather than a map reload.
- Search the startup arguments and
server.cfgfor every occurrence ofgamemode. - Remove the duplicate definition and leave one authoritative value.
- Check spelling and use lowercase values:
vanilla,softcore,hardcoreorprimitive. - Read the actual launch output; a panel’s form value is not proof that the server loaded it.
The server fails to start after adding the line
Remove the new line temporarily and start the server to isolate the problem. Then add the setting again using the correct syntax for its location: a leading + in startup arguments, no leading + in server.cfg. Do not put quotation marks, commas or a display label around the value.
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The command works but reverts after a restart
gamemode.set is a runtime operation. Put the desired mode in startup arguments or server.cfg as well, using only one of those persistent locations, and restart.
Players lost progress
Stop further changes and check the backup or snapshot made before maintenance. The documented warning is that changing the gamemode can completely reset player data. If the wipe was not planned, contact the host promptly about restoration options and tell players what happened rather than attempting repeated restarts.
Hardcore does not match an old guide
Hardcore information can be stale. The Rust Wiki records that Facepunch shut down its official Hardcore servers in November 2023 and that the last Hardcore update listed there was in September 2022. Later Facepunch news has referred to additional hardcore convars, so the exact feature set can vary with the current server build. Community servers can still use hardcore, but test the restrictions on the version you actually run.
The host has no “game mode” dropdown
A dropdown is optional. Use the host’s startup-argument field and enter +server.gamemode <name>, or edit server.cfg if the host documents that file. Do not infer the setting from unrelated options such as difficulty, map type or PvP toggles.
Choosing the right mode for a community
Choose vanilla for the standard rules
Vanilla is the appropriate value when players expect ordinary Rust progression and you do not want mode-specific team, death-reclaim or item restrictions.
Choose softcore for a gentler restart
Softcore changes the experience without abandoning the vanilla foundation. The four-player team limit, partial inventory and hotbar recovery, and 25% lower PvP damage are the defining documented changes. Tell players about those rules before the wipe because they affect both group recruitment and the cost of dying.
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Choose hardcore only with version testing
Hardcore is intended for a more restricted experience, but official server availability and documentation have changed over time. Test the mode on the server build you operate and publish a precise rules list for players instead of promising that every historical Hardcore feature is present.
Choose primitive for a technology-limited wipe
Primitive is for communities that want basic crafting and a deliberately restricted technology era. Confirm the item availability after the restart and explain the expected progression before players commit to the wipe.
Administrative checklist
- Target value selected and written down.
- Players notified of the mode and maintenance window.
- Backup or snapshot completed.
- Wipe timing checked.
- Server stopped cleanly.
- Exactly one persistent definition chosen.
- Correct syntax used for that location.
- Server restarted, not merely reloaded.
- Startup output inspected.
- Mode-specific behavior tested.
- Configuration and wipe date recorded for other administrators.
What to remember about mode changes
The operative setting is always server.gamemode. Use +server.gamemode <name> at startup or server.gamemode <name> in server.cfg, select exactly one of the four documented values, and restart. The runtime command gamemode.set <name> is available for authorized live administration, but persistent configuration still belongs in one startup location. Most importantly, treat the change as a possible player-data reset and schedule it with a fresh wipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change a Rust server’s mode without restarting it?
Rust provides the runtime command gamemode.set <name> for authorized console or RCON use. For a dependable persistent configuration, also set server.gamemode in one startup location and restart the server.
What is the difference between +server.gamemode and server.gamemode?
The leading-plus form is used in startup arguments. The form without the plus sign is used as a line in server.cfg.
Why did changing the mode reset my players?
Rust host guidance warns that changing the gamemode can completely reset player data. Mode changes should be planned for the start of a fresh wipe, with a backup made beforehand.
Are official Rust Hardcore servers still available?
The Rust Wiki states that Facepunch shut down its official Hardcore servers in November 2023. Community servers can still use the hardcore setting, although the exact behavior depends on the current server version.
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