[Bug]: CS2 server fails to start after recent game updates

[borzaka]

User story

As a CS2 dedicated server administrator, I want the server to launch using the cs2.sh script instead of the cs2 binary so that the server starts correctly with proper library paths after recent CS2 updates.

Game

Counter-Strike 2

Linux distro

Debian 12

Command

command: start

Further information

LinuxGSM currently launches the Counter-Strike 2 dedicated server by executing the cs2 binary directly. However, Valve has updated their official documentation to recommend using the cs2.sh script instead, which properly sets up the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable.

Recent CS2 updates have made this change necessary, and servers may fail to start or encounter runtime errors when launched directly via the binary.

Valve developer comment from a related issue:

...
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

We've updated our documentation to recommend using the cs2.sh script, which sets up the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment correctly: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Counter-Strike_2/Dedicated_Servers#Linux

We do not recommend running the cs2 binary directly.
...

See original comment: ValveSoftware/csgo-osx-linux#4199 (comment)

Shell output:

cs2server@PRECISION-5820:~$ ./cs2server start
[ FAIL ] Starting cs2server: Unable to start LAN #1

Relevant log output

Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libengine2.so, got 0x561f57da3950

Console initialized.
Steam AppId(730), BreakpadId(2347771)
InitSteamLogin_Internal: Initializing breakpad.
Using breakpad crash handler
Steam Universe is invalid, possibly asking before Steam was successfully initialized.
ResetBreakpadAppId: Universe is 0 (k_EUniverseInvalid)
ResetBreakpadAppId: Setting dedicated server app id: 2347773
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 2347773
Forcing breakpad minidump interfaces to load
Looking up breakpad interfaces from steamclient
Calling BreakpadMiniDumpSystemInit
Loaded libSDL3.so.0, got 0x561f57eb5120
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libtier0.so, got 0x561f57d8c710
Visibility enabled.
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libfilesystem_stdio.so, got 0x561f57eb5cf0
USRLOCAL path not found!
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/liblocalize.so, got 0x561f57eb6630
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/librendersystemempty.so, got 0x561f57eb6f70
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libresourcesystem.so, got 0x561f57eb78b0
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libschemasystem.so, got 0x561f57eb7dd0
Trying to set dxlevel (111) which is higher than the card can support (110)!
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libmaterialsystem2.so, got 0x561f57eb8710
---------------
Path ID:             File Path:
ADDONS               "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_addons/" 
CONTENT              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/content/csgo/addons/metamod/" 
CONTENT              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/content/csgo/" 
CONTENT              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/content/csgo_imported/" 
CONTENT              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/content/csgo_core/" 
CONTENT              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/content/core/" 
CONTENTADDONS        "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/content/csgo_addons/" 
CONTENTROOT          "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/content/" 
DEFAULT_WRITE_PATH   "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/addons/metamod/" 
EXECUTABLE_PATH      "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/" 
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/pak01.vpk
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/pak01.vpk
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/pak01.vpk
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/pak01.vpk
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/shaders_vulkan.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/shaders_vulkan.vpk
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/shaders_vulkan.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/shaders_vulkan.vpk
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/shaders_vulkan.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/shaders_vulkan.vpk
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/addons/metamod/" 
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/" 
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/" 
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/" 
GAME                 "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/addons/metamod/bin/linuxsteamrt64/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/addons/metamod/bin/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/bin/linuxsteamrt64/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/bin/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/bin/linuxsteamrt64/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/bin/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/bin/linuxsteamrt64/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/bin/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/bin/linuxsteamrt64/" 
GAMEBIN              "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/bin/" 
GAMEROOT             "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/" 
MOD                  "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/pak01.vpk
MOD                  "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/pak01.vpk
MOD                  "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/pak01.vpk
MOD                  "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/" 
MOD                  "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_imported/" 
MOD                  "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_core/" 
OFFICIAL_ADDONS      "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo_community_addons/" 
PLATFORM             "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/pak01.vpk" (vpk) /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/pak01.vpk
PLATFORM             "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/core/" 
SHADER_SOURCE        "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/csgo/addons/metamod/" 
SHADER_SOURCE        "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/csgo/" 
SHADER_SOURCE        "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/csgo_imported/" 
SHADER_SOURCE        "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/csgo_core/" 
SHADER_SOURCE        "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/core/" 
SHADER_SOURCE        "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/csgo_community_addons/" 
SHADER_SOURCE_MOD    "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/csgo/addons/metamod/" 
SHADER_SOURCE_ROOT   "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/src/shaders/" 
command line arguments:
-dedicated -ip 0.0.0.0 -port 27016 +tv_enable 1 +tv_port 27021 +sv_setsteamaccount XXX -authkey YYY +servercfgfile cs2server.cfg +game_type 0 +game_mode 1 +map de_dust2 -maxplayers 16
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libmeshsystem.so, got 0x561f57f270e0
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libworldrenderer.so, got 0x561f57f39a30
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libpulse_system.so, got 0x561f57f4c380
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libvscript.so, got 0x561f57f5ecd0
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libnetworksystem.so, got 0x561f57f71200
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libanimationsystem.so, got 0x561f57f85c50
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libvphysics2.so, got 0x561f57f9d400
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libsoundsystem.so, got 0x561f57fafd50
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libscenesystem.so, got 0x561f57fc6cc0
Network System Initialized
MOD desires lightbinner GPU but is unsupported by HW (SupportsCompute=0 CubeMapArrays=0)
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libserver_valve.so, got (nil)
Loaded libserver_valve.so, got (nil)
Loaded /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libserver.so, got (nil)
 failed to dlopen /home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libserver.so error=libv8.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
 failed to dlopen "/home/cs2server/serverfiles/game/csgo/bin/linuxsteamrt64/libserver.so" error=libv8.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
FATAL ERROR: CAppSystemDict:Unable to load module server (Dependency of application), error 2
 0 FATAL ERROR: CAppSystemDict:Unable to load module server (Dependency of application), error 2

Steps to reproduce

1. Install CS2 dedicated server
2. Attempt to start the server
3. Server may fail to start or encounter library loading errors

[esdete2]

Hey,
is there a workaround for this? I'm using LinuxGSM via Docker. When I try to start it manually inside the container it says:

FATAL: It appears cs2.sh was not launched within the Steam for Linux sniper runtime environment.
FATAL: Please consult documentation to ensure correct configuration, aborting.