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The exact setting to use
Rust reads the gamemode at server startup. The current startup form is:
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+server.gamemode hardcore
Append that argument to the command that launches RustDedicated. Do not put it in the client launch options; it belongs to the dedicated-server process. Facepunch’s older Hardcore announcement used -gamemode hardcore. That historical form explains why some old guides show a dash, but the documented server-gamemode variable uses the +server.gamemode <name> syntax.
After changing the launch configuration, restart the server and check its console or RCON session while it loads. The setting must be present on the launch that actually starts the server; editing a shortcut or profile that your host does not use will have no effect.
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Before you switch: timing, access and backups
Hardcore is not a cosmetic toggle. It changes the ruleset and can invalidate the current wipe state. Facepunch’s server-gamemode documentation gives an explicit warning: “DO NOT switch between gamemodes mid-wipe. This will reset all players and their inventory with no possibility to revert.” Treat the change as a wipe-day operation, not as an in-progress event setting.
- Schedule downtime: players must be disconnected while you stop and restart the dedicated server.
- Choose a new-wipe point: announce the restart and wipe timing before enabling Hardcore.
- Record your current configuration: keep a copy of the existing startup arguments and
server.cfgso you can diagnose an accidental change. - Confirm administrative access: you need the machine’s launch configuration, a hosting-panel startup field, or administrator-level console/RCON access.
- Check the game build: Hardcore’s rules have changed over time, so verify the current Facepunch announcement or changelog for the build you are running.
If you cannot schedule a wipe, leave the current gamemode in place until the next planned wipe. A live switch can erase progress even when the server appears healthy afterward.
Self-hosted method: add the startup argument
1. Stop or prepare to restart RustDedicated
Use your normal service manager, script, container definition or terminal session to stop the dedicated server cleanly. If you are editing a launch script while the process is running, the old process will continue using its existing arguments until it is restarted.
2. Add the gamemode variable
Find the arguments passed to RustDedicated and append:
+server.gamemode hardcore
Keep the plus sign. It is the startup-variable prefix used by Rust’s dedicated-server launcher. Leave unrelated settings unchanged, including your server identity, world seed, map size, ports and description.
3. Save the actual launch configuration
Save the script, service unit or container configuration that your administrator uses to start the production instance. If you operate several Rust servers, apply the variable only to the identity that should run Hardcore. A common mistake is editing a test instance while the public server is launched by a different script or service.
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Start the server with the updated arguments. Watch the startup console, or connect with RCON, and confirm that the server loads the Hardcore gamemode. If the server starts but behaves like the previous mode, stop it again and verify the launch command rather than trying to repair player data in place.
Self-hosted method: persist it in server.cfg
For a persistent file-based configuration, open:
rust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfg
Add this line:
server.gamemode hardcore
In server.cfg, omit the leading + or -. Facepunch’s server-creation guide explains that the file is read at startup and variables in it use the bare variable name. The startup form and the file form represent the same setting; the difference is where Rust receives it.
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- Stop the server or make sure it will be fully restarted after the edit.
- Open the configuration directory for the correct
server.identity. - Edit
server.cfgand addserver.gamemode hardcoreon its own line. - Save the file without changing its filename or directory.
- Start the server and verify the loaded mode in the console or through RCON.
If you use both startup arguments and server.cfg, keep the value consistent. Maintaining one authoritative location makes later wipe-day changes easier to audit.
Runtime alternative: gamemode.set hardcore
An administrator can change the running server with:
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gamemode.set hardcore
Issue that command through the server console or an authenticated RCON connection. It is useful when you need to apply a setting while connected to the server, but it does not replace a persistent startup or server.cfg entry for future restarts. Use it only within a planned wipe procedure: Facepunch’s warning about resetting players and inventories still applies to a live gamemode switch.
For a repeatable setup, place the setting in the startup arguments or configuration file, restart at the announced wipe time, and use the runtime command only when your operational workflow specifically requires it.
Hosted-server control panels
Managed hosts often expose the variable as a form field instead of showing the complete command line. The labels and restart controls differ by provider, but the workflow is usually:
- Open the server’s configuration or startup section.
- Find a selector labelled Server game mode, Gamemode or a similar name.
- Select Hardcore.
- Save or apply the configuration.
- Schedule the provider’s restart and wipe for the same maintenance window.
- After the server is online, inspect the console or connect with RCON to confirm the mode.
Some panels also provide a console command box. If the selector is missing, an administrator may be able to run gamemode.set hardcore, but ask the host whether that change survives a restart. Panel templates can overwrite manual arguments, so a setting that works once may disappear after the next reboot unless it is saved in the provider’s persistent configuration.
Before committing to a hosted server, ask the provider whether its current Rust build supports Hardcore, whether you can edit startup arguments or server.cfg, whether RCON is available, and how its restart and wipe scheduler handles gamemode changes. The underlying Rust variable is the same; the amount of control you have over it is what differs.
What Hardcore mode changes
The original 2022 ruleset
Facepunch’s 26 August 2022 Hardcore announcement described a mode that removed safezones, the team system and maps. Those removals change how players travel, organize and obtain information: there is no safezone fallback, no built-in team grouping and no standard map view under that ruleset.
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The later “Harder Core” update
Facepunch’s 7 August 2025 “Harder Core” announcement documents a refreshed version with additional restrictions, including fog-of-war map discovery and other rule changes. Because the feature set is version-sensitive, do not advertise a fixed list of mechanics without checking the announcement or changelog for the exact server build. A wipe running one build may not have identical Hardcore behavior after an update.
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Both approaches select Hardcore through the same Rust gamemode variable. The practical difference is who controls the files and the restart.
| Decision point | Self-hosted server | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Startup arguments | Direct access to the command, service unit or launch script; add +server.gamemode hardcore. |
Usually a startup field or a game-mode selector; the provider controls the surrounding command. |
server.cfg |
Direct access to rust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfg. |
Available only if the host provides file access or a configuration editor. |
| Console and RCON | You can use the local console and configure RCON yourself. | Availability, credentials and console tools depend on the provider’s plan and panel. |
| Restart and wipe scheduling | You choose the service scheduler and maintenance window. | The panel may provide scheduled restarts, but wipe timing and retention rules are provider-specific. |
| Configuration convenience | Maximum control, but you must maintain scripts, permissions and backups. | Point-and-click controls reduce administration, while panel templates may limit advanced edits. |
| Support | You troubleshoot the process, files and operating system. | The provider can help with panel or node issues, but may not manage your community’s wipe policy. |
Choose self-hosting when direct file and process control matters more than convenience. Choose a managed server when you want a panel and provider-operated infrastructure, provided it exposes the gamemode and restart controls you need.
Troubleshooting Hardcore activation
The server still behaves like Standard
- Confirm that the argument was added to the launch that starts the public instance, not a local test script.
- Check spelling and spacing: the variable is
server.gamemodeand the value ishardcore. - If you edited
server.cfg, make sure it is under the correctserver.identityand that the line has no leading plus or minus. - Perform a full restart. Saving a file while the process runs does not reload startup settings.
- Inspect the startup console or RCON session for the loaded gamemode before allowing players to reconnect.
The panel setting disappears after reboot
The panel may regenerate the launch command from a template. Re-enter Hardcore in the provider’s persistent game-mode field, or ask support where custom startup variables are stored. If the host cannot retain the setting or provide a console/RCON path, it may not support reliable Hardcore administration.
You changed modes during an active wipe
Stop making further changes and record exactly when the switch occurred. Facepunch states that switching gamemodes mid-wipe resets all players and their inventory with no possibility to revert. Restore the intended mode only after deciding whether to proceed with a new wipe; do not promise players that their previous inventories can be recovered.
The rules do not match your announcement
Compare the running server build with the Facepunch Hardcore or Harder Core announcement and current changelog. The 2022 description and the 2025 refreshed mode are not interchangeable feature lists. Update your community rules whenever the game build changes.
Wipe-day checklist
- Announce the maintenance window and the fact that Hardcore requires a fresh wipe.
- Back up the launch script and current configuration.
- Stop the server cleanly.
- Add
+server.gamemode hardcoreto the startup arguments, or addserver.gamemode hardcoreto the correctserver.cfg. - Start the server and wait for the normal loading process to finish.
- Verify the loaded gamemode in the console or via RCON.
- Confirm that the wipe schedule and the published Hardcore rules match the running build.
- Open the server to players only after verification.
Once the setting is stored in the launch configuration or server.cfg, subsequent restarts will continue to request Hardcore until you deliberately change that value for a later wipe.
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