Certain plugins will get your server blacklisted
If you haven’t heard about Valve’s plugin policies, or don’t know exactly what they are about, this post should help inform you of what Valve’s plugin policies are and what they mean for you as a server hoster.
TL;DR
- Valve has blacklisted plugins that falsify the contents of a player’s profile or inventory.
- Some of the known blacklisted plugins include, but aren’t limited to: (there is not a full list available, as Valve hasn’t mentioned specific plugins)
- !knife
- !ws
- If you are found running any of these plugins, all of the servers attached to your account (servers must be attached to your account via GSLTs) will be banned and can no longer run.
- In addition to your existing servers, your Steam account will also be banned from running any servers in the future.
- Your phone number will also be banned, so you won’t be able to create a new account with the same phone number and host servers on that account.
- Your Steam Account will be banned from playing CS:GO for a limited amount of time. Valve hasn’t stated an official time, but most reports from users seem to indicate a 11 day long ban.
Valve’s official statement
CS:GO community servers provide valuable experiences to players and communities, and are serving more players than ever before. Over the past month, 3.1 mln unique players were observed playing on community servers and this number keeps growing each month.
We’re aware that some server operators are offering to their players false inventories and/or profiles as a free or paid service via mods on their servers. These mods inaccurately report the contents of a player’s inventory and/or matchmaking status, devaluing both and potentially creating a confusing experience for players.
Therefore, we are asking server operators to remove any mods and plugins that falsify the contents of a player’s profile or inventory.
To be clear, the services that should not be offered on a community server include (but are not limited to):
– Allowing players to claim temporary ownership of CS:GO items that are not in their inventory (Weapon skins, knives, etc.).
– Providing a falsified competitive skill group and/or profile rank status or scoreboard coin (e.g., Operation Challenge Coins).
– Interfering with systems that allow players to correctly access their own CS:GO inventories, items, or profile.
If your server provides any of the above services then we request that you disable them. If for some reason you are unable or unsure of whether a particular plugin should be removed, feel free to contact us.
We will continue to monitor the players experience on community servers, and may reevaluate if further actions need to be taken to ensure that server operators comply with the request above.
FAQ
What exactly happens when I get banned
Valve hasn’t given out the exact details, but have confirmed some parts and other information comes from reports from users who have received bans. Here is what we know:
- All of your GSLTs and the servers they are attached to will be banned.
- Your account will be unable to create additional GSLTs and host servers.
- No one will be able to connect to a server using a GSLT from your banned account.
- Your Steam account will be banned from connecting to any CS:GO servers (incl. official Valve servers and community servers) for a limited time. (according to user reports the bans are usually around 11 days)
- The phone number you have attached to your Steam account will be banned from creating GSLTs.
- To create additional GSLTs and host CS:GO servers again, you will need to create a new Steam account with a new phone number.
Are bans handed out by IP address of the server or client?
No, bans are only dealt out by GSLTs. Neither the servers nor the clients IP has any impact whatsoever, so you’ll never be banned for being on the same IP as a banned server, or a banned user.
Can I be banned for playing on a server that violates the guidelines?
No, you can’t be banned for playing on a server that violates the guidelines.
Do mods that provide custom knives (e.g., ‘vanilla’ Karambit or Bayonet knives) fall under the same restrictions as mods that spoof other inventory items like weapon skins or display items?
Yes, these mods fall under the same restrictions because they are generating/simulating items that are not owned by a player.
Do mods that provide custom knives or weapons fall under these same restrictions when the items are only visible to the player holding the weapon?
Yes. Regardless of who can see the items, mods should not generate/simulate items that are not owned by a player.
I use a mod that grants stock primary/secondary weapons and grenades to players through a gun selection menu (e.g. Deathmatch mod). The mod only drops stock weapons and does not grant knives. Is this mod ok?
Yes, it’s fine to provide basic stock weapons to players via a mod.
-Is it ok to have a “remove all weapons”/“hide knife” function on a server?
-Is it ok to have a “knife drop”/“knife switch” function that allows a player to drop their knife (that they own) so another player can pick it up?
Both of these functions are fine. There are some game modes where it makes sense to have unarmed players (e.g., surf), and in a trading server being able give a player your knife to inspect is fine too. In general, letting players use what they own in a new way isn’t a problem.
Can I use a mod that doesn’t spoof competitive ranks or coins, but does adjust the scoreboard (e.g., a surf server where group tags represent skill rating, score is your rank on the server, MVP is your completion percentage, etc.)?
At the moment there’s no issue with using mods that modify scores or player names in the scoreboard.
My server is private (password protected) / empty / only used by me and my friends, can I still get banned?
Yes, none of these things changes the fact that you are using banned plugins and your server will still be banned for using these plugins.
Which specific plugins are banned?
Valve has not given an official list of banned plugins, and they probably never will, but essentially any plugin that modifies your players’ inventory and / or ranks can get your server banned. Some known banned plugins are !knife and !ws.
If you’re looking to rent CS:GO servers, why not give us a try? We offer Pay-as-you-go pricing and our servers are incredibly easy-to-use with our user friendly interface and one-click installers for most popular plugins.
