Command line options (Source 2)
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Command line options (frequently command line arguments or command line parameters; launch options on Steam) are additional arguments specified before the program starts, these functionally change the behavior of the program in some way, such as launching the game and start the game with the specified map directly, or play a demo for example.
Command line arguments are traditionally prefixed with a hyphen (-), but some 
Windows applications (especially system ones) will use a forward slash (/) instead. 
Quake uses plus (+) as a prefix for console commands or cvars that will get executed by the game as soon as it starts, and all Valve engines inherit this syntax.
Todo: Fill this out. Confirm if launch options are Dota 2, HLA, or CS2 specific, and does it works or not.
Engine
Most of these command-line parameters will work with any Source 2 engine games (
Half-Life: Alyx, 
Counter-Strike 2, etc.).
Syntax: cs2.exe <parameter1> <parameter2> <cvar1> <cvar2>
Usage
These options can be used with:
- Windows shortcuts pointing to
cs2.exedirectly. - Windows shortcuts pointing to
steam.exewith the proper-applaunch <AppID>specified (more on Command line options - Steam page). - Command-line batch script files launching these applications.
- Game launch options from Steam's Library.
- Linux shell scripts pointing to the application with launch options.
executable -command
Examples
steam.exe -applaunch 730 -dev -console +map MyMapcs2.exe -dev -console +map de_dust2 +buildcubemaps
Command-Line Parameters
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
| -addon <addon_name> | Starts the game mounting <addon_name> |
| -allow_third_party_software | Launches the game in "Untrusted Mode", which allow third-party programs to injecting its code into game executable. (only in )
|
| -allowmultiple | Allows multiple Source 2 instances to run at the same time. Only works if a VPROJECT environment variable is set. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -autoconfig | This command lets you restore config file settings to default. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -console | Starts the game with the developer console enabled. |
| -dev | Starts the game with the DEV MENU enabled (only in )[confirm].
|
| -forcenovsync | Switches off Vsync technology. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -freq <refresh_rate> | Change the monitor refresh rate. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -full | The game will start in full-screen mode. (only in )[confirm].
|
| -fullscreen | The game will start in full-screen mode. (only in )[confirm].
|
| -gpuraytracing | (Confirmed with csgocfg.exe) Enable ray-tracing feature support for Hammer Editor. Without it, Hammer ray-tracing related option such as GPU Path Tracing preview and GPU Ray Tracing Visualization will be disabled and hidden. Usually enabled when launching CS2 Workshop Tools from Steam (only in ).
|
| -h <height> or -height <height> | Forces the engine to start with resolution set to <height>. Ex: -h 1920
|
| -high | Sets the game's priority to High. (only in  )[confirm]
|
| -hlvr_workshop | Launches the Workshop Tools. (only in )
|
| -insecure | Starts the server without Valve Anti-Cheat. |
| -language <language> | Interface language customization. |
| -limitvsconst | Limits number of vertex shaders up to 256. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -noborder | The game window won’t have edges. (only in )[confirm].
|
| -nohltv | Switches off all GOTV and Source TV opportunities. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -nojoy | Switching off joysticks, joystick support. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -nopreload | Cancels models, files and textures pre-loading. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -nostyle | Disables some custom Windows UI styling. Can be used to force the tools into light mode, when Windows is set to light mode. |
| -novid | Intro video is disabled. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -novr or -vr_enable_fake_vr_test | Launches the game in flat-screen mode. (only in )
|
| -nowindow | Disables the spectator window. (only in )
|
| -perfectworld | Switch to Steam China (Perfect World) servers. (only in )
|
| -retail | Makes it so you cannot see certain items in the sdk, such as /characters/ and /econ/ (only in )[confirm]
|
| -softparticledefaultoff | Rendering particles settings. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -steam | Applied by default when launched through Steam, connects game to its 'network'. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -tools | Launches the Workshop Tools (only in )[confirm].
|
| -vconsole | Allows for using the VConsole program that comes with certain games like Aperture Desk Job which does not provide a way of accessing the console in-game [confirm]. |
| -vrdebug | Allows the game to run without a VR headset, by rendering the game as a side-by-side stereoscopic pair. (only in )[confirm]
|
| -vulkan | Forces the engine to use the Vulkan renderer. |
| -width <width>, -w | Forces the engine to start with resolution set to <width>. Ex: -w 1080 (only in )[confirm]
|
| -window, -windowed, -startwindowed or -sw | The game will start in the regular window. |
| -x <x position> | Window position along the axis X (only in )[confirm]
|
| -y <y position> | Window position along the axis Y (only in )[confirm]
|
Deprecated Command-Line Parameters
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
| -tickrate <tickrate> | Sets the game tick interval. In Counter-Strike 2 at launch, Valve hardcoded the game to use 64 tickrate with subticks, so this does nothing. Confirm:Confirm whether this does anything on old Limited Test build. |