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Set the server’s active mode with mp_gamemode, then make sure that mode is included in sv_gametypes. For example, a Versus server normally uses mp_gamemode "versus" and sv_gametypes "versus". A server that should be eligible for both cooperative and Versus lobbies can use sv_gametypes "coop,versus", while mp_gamemode selects the mode currently running.

Put these cvars in server.cfg, or pass them at startup with +sv_gametypes and +mp_gamemode. The values must match the lobby filter you want: community hosting guidance says a server needs the correct combination of mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes to appear under the corresponding Left 4 Dead 2 browser filter.

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What the two game-type settings do

Left 4 Dead 2 uses two related console variables rather than one universal “game type” switch. They should be treated as different jobs:

  • mp_gamemode selects the mode the server is running now. Typical values include coop, versus, survival and scavenge.
  • sv_gametypes defines the modes the server is allowed to run or advertise. Multiple values are separated with commas, such as "coop,versus".

Setting only one of them can produce a server that runs locally but does not appear where players expect. For a single-mode server, use the same value for both variables. For a server intended to support several filters, list the allowed modes in sv_gametypes and choose the current mode with mp_gamemode.

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The command names and examples below reflect long-used community configuration practice. No current Valve command reference was identified for this subject, so test the syntax on the build you operate before deploying it to a public server.

Choose the mode you want to run

Use the value that corresponds to the lobby category and ruleset you want players to see. The table separates commonly used values from additional values listed by a community guide; the latter should be verified on your current server build.

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Mode mp_gamemode value Single-mode sv_gametypes Notes
Campaign co-op coop coop Standard cooperative campaign category.
Realism realism realism Listed by the community guide; verify availability on the current build.
Survival survival survival Timed survival category.
Versus versus versus Player-versus-player campaign category.
Scavenge scavenge scavenge Listed by the community guide; verify availability on the current build.
Dash dash dash Listed by the community guide; not independently confirmed for every build.
Holdout holdout holdout Listed by the community guide; not independently confirmed for every build.
Shootzone shootzone shootzone Listed by the community guide; not independently confirmed for every build.

For the least ambiguous setup, start with coop, versus, survival or scavenge, because those are the values consistently cited in the available guidance. Treat the other listed values as build-dependent until you have confirmed that the server accepts them.

Set the game type in server.cfg

A configuration file is the most maintainable choice when the same settings should be applied every time the dedicated server starts. In a standard Source dedicated-server installation, the file is normally under the game’s cfg directory, such as left4dead2/cfg/server.cfg. Use the path created by your particular installation or host panel if it differs.

1. Open or create the configuration file

Stop the server before editing its configuration. Open server.cfg in a plain-text editor. Do not save it as a formatted document, and do not add a file extension such as .txt accidentally.

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2. Add the active mode and allowed modes

For a server dedicated to Versus, use matching values:

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

The hostname, sv_lan and sv_region lines are shown in the commonly circulated example; they are not required to select a mode. The two lines that control this article’s subject are mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes.

For cooperative and Versus availability, keep the current mode and allowed list distinct:

mp_gamemode "coop"
sv_gametypes "coop,versus"

This tells the server to run co-op now while allowing the server’s advertised game-type set to include both co-op and Versus. If you want only one lobby category, list only that category instead of leaving unrelated values enabled.

3. Save, restart, and load a map

Save the file, restart the dedicated server, and load the map or campaign you intend to host. A restart is the safest way to ensure the file is read in a clean order. If the server is already running, inspect the console after startup for configuration errors and verify the cvars from the server console before inviting players.

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Set the game type on the launch line

You can also provide the variables when starting the Source dedicated server. This is useful for a temporary test, a scripted instance, or a host that generates the command line rather than letting you edit a persistent file.

A community-assembled Windows-style example is:

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

This line combines startup options described in community guidance; it was not copied as a single, currently validated command from Valve documentation. Test it with your executable, shell and server build. In particular, confirm that your shell preserves the quotation marks around the comma-separated sv_gametypes value.

What each part does

  • -console starts the server with a console window.
  • -game left4dead2 selects the Left 4 Dead 2 game directory.
  • +sv_gametypes "coop,versus,survival" supplies the allowed game-type list at startup.
  • +mp_gamemode versus selects Versus as the mode to run initially.
  • +exec server.cfg loads the rest of your persistent settings.
  • +map c2m1_highway starts the specified map after launch.

If both the launch line and server.cfg assign a variable, the final value depends on the order in which your installation executes them. Avoid conflicting values while troubleshooting: put the same intended settings in both places, or use one place as the single source of truth.

Use autoexec.cfg when startup control matters

One community guide recommends putting sv_gametypes in autoexec.cfg so that users who can alter the command line cannot easily replace the allowed game-type list. This is an operational choice, not a requirement for the variable to work.

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A practical arrangement is:

  • Place the allowed list in autoexec.cfg when it must be applied as early and consistently as possible.
  • Place ordinary server identity and gameplay settings in server.cfg.
  • Use the launch line for the game directory, map and any per-instance value that genuinely changes between launches.

The same guidance notes that some operators want to restrict command-line access while still permitting game-type changes. Decide who can edit each file and who can restart the process; file permissions and host-panel roles are part of the control model, not substitutes for correct cvar values.

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Make the values match the lobby filter

Players often search by a lobby category rather than by the server’s hostname. The server therefore needs both a valid active mode and an allowed-type list that correspond to that category. For example:

Desired listing mp_gamemode sv_gametypes
Versus only versus versus
Co-op only coop coop
Survival only survival survival
Scavenge only scavenge scavenge
Currently co-op, potentially Versus coop coop,versus

If mp_gamemode says versus but sv_gametypes contains only coop, the settings describe different realities. Correct the mismatch before investigating network, region or browser problems.

Verify the setting instead of assuming it loaded

  1. Restart the server or launch it with the intended arguments.
  2. Read the startup console for an unknown-command, parsing or configuration-file error.
  3. At the server console, query mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes to see the effective values. If your console supports a cvar query without an argument, use that form; otherwise issue the variable with the value you expect and watch for an error.
  4. Load a map and join from a client using the matching lobby category.
  5. If the server is visible in one category but not another, compare the category with the exact spelling and comma-separated list in the configuration.

Do not treat the presence of a line in a file as proof that the server accepted it. A typo, a later configuration file or a launch argument can leave the effective value different from the text you edited.

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Change modes safely

For a permanent change, edit the persistent configuration, update both cvars, and restart or reload the map using your normal server procedure. A temporary console assignment is useful for testing, but it can be lost at the next restart if the file still contains the old value.

When moving from one ruleset to another, change both settings together. For example, do not leave sv_gametypes "coop" in place while switching mp_gamemode to versus. Make the pair internally consistent, then start a fresh map so clients receive the intended ruleset.

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Troubleshooting common failures

The server runs, but it does not appear under the expected filter

  • Check that mp_gamemode exactly matches the desired category, including spelling and capitalization conventions used by the command.
  • Check that the same value is present in sv_gametypes.
  • Remove accidental spaces or malformed separators from a comma-separated list.
  • Restart after editing and verify the effective values from the console.

Only one of several requested modes appears

Confirm that the list is written as one quoted value, for example "coop,versus,survival", rather than as separate unquoted arguments. Then confirm that the current mp_gamemode is one of the values in that list. The server can run only the mode selected by mp_gamemode; listing several values does not make all of them active simultaneously.

The server starts in the wrong mode after a restart

Search every place that can assign the cvar: the launch command, autoexec.cfg, server.cfg and any host-panel startup field. Remove contradictory entries or place them in a deliberate order. A common cause is changing server.cfg while an older +mp_gamemode argument continues to override the intended value.

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A listed mode is rejected or behaves like an ordinary mode

The community list includes dash, holdout and shootzone, but those values were not independently confirmed against the current game build. Test each one on a private instance first. If the cvar is rejected or the resulting rules do not match the category, use a mode confirmed by your build rather than assuming every historical value remains available.

Custom content causes unexpected consistency problems

Some hosting examples use sv_consistency 0, while others use sv_consistency 1. The appropriate value depends on whether you want to permit custom content and how strictly clients must match server files. This setting is separate from game type; changing it will not fix a mismatch between mp_gamemode and sv_gametypes. Choose the consistency policy deliberately and document it for players.

Recommended configuration patterns

Single-purpose Versus server

mp_gamemode "versus"
sv_gametypes "versus"

Use this when the server should consistently be found as Versus and should not advertise other categories.

Single-purpose campaign co-op server

mp_gamemode "coop"
sv_gametypes "coop"

This keeps the active mode and advertised type unambiguous.

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Server that can be switched between common modes

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

The server starts in co-op, while the allowed list includes the other commonly cited modes. Change mp_gamemode only as part of a controlled mode switch, and keep it inside the allowed list.

Pre-launch checklist

  • The desired mode is spelled correctly.
  • mp_gamemode selects the mode you want to run first.
  • sv_gametypes contains that mode.
  • Comma-separated values are inside one quoted argument.
  • No launch argument or second configuration file assigns a conflicting value.
  • The server has been restarted or otherwise reloaded after editing.
  • The effective cvars were checked in the server console.
  • The mode was tested through the matching lobby filter.
  • Any use of dash, holdout or shootzone was verified on the exact build in use.
  • The separate sv_consistency policy matches your custom-content requirements.

Bottom line

For most installations, the dependable pattern is simple: set mp_gamemode to the mode the server should run, include that same value in sv_gametypes, save the pair in server.cfg or pass them at launch, then restart and verify the effective cvars. Matching values are what allow the server to run the intended rules and appear under the corresponding Left 4 Dead 2 lobby filter.

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