CS2 Server Setup

This guide covers setting up a Counter-Strike 2 dedicated server on NovaStack, including GSLT tokens, server configuration, competitive match settings, and workshop maps.

Valve requires a Game Server Login Token (GSLT) for public CS2 servers. Without it, your server won't appear in the server browser.

1. Go to steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers.
2. Log in with your Steam account.
3. Enter App ID 730 and a memo (e.g. "NovaStack CS2").
4. Copy the generated token.
5. In your NovaStack server panel, open the Settings tab and find Startup Variables, then paste the GSLT token into the designated field.

Important: Each server needs its own unique GSLT. Do not reuse tokens across servers — Valve will ban them.

Open /game/csgo/cfg/server.cfg in the File Manager:

// Server Identity
hostname "My CS2 Server | NovaStack"
sv_password ""
rcon_password "YourSecureRconPassword"

// Network
sv_maxrate 0
sv_minrate 128000
sv_lan 0

// Match Settings
mp_autoteambalance 1
mp_limitteams 1
mp_maxrounds 24
mp_overtime_enable 1
mp_overtime_maxrounds 6

// Anti-cheat
sv_cheats 0
sv_pure 1

// Logging
log on
sv_logbans 1
sv_logecho 1
sv_logfile 1

For a tournament-ready competitive config, create /game/csgo/cfg/competitive.cfg:

// Competitive ruleset
mp_maxrounds 24
mp_overtime_enable 1
mp_overtime_maxrounds 6
mp_freezetime 15
mp_roundtime 1.92
mp_roundtime_defuse 1.92
mp_buy_anywhere 0
mp_buytime 20
mp_startmoney 800
sv_talk_enemy_dead 0
sv_talk_enemy_living 0
sv_deadtalk 1
mp_death_drop_gun 1
mp_match_restart_delay 15

Load it in-game via RCON: exec competitive

To run custom maps from the Steam Workshop:

1. Get a Steam Web API key from steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey.
2. Add it to your startup parameters as -authkey YOUR_KEY.
3. Find the workshop map's ID from its URL (the number after ?id=).
4. Use the startup parameter: +host_workshop_map MAP_ID.

For a workshop map collection, use +host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID instead.

CS2 uses game_type and game_mode to set the mode:

Set these in your startup command line or in server.cfg.