Host a Left 4 Dead Dedicated Server

Left 4 Dead is a cooperative first-person shooter set during a zombie apocalypse. Four survivors -- Bill, Zoey, Louis, and Francis -- must fight through hordes of the infected across campaigns to reach evacuation points. Features Co-op, Versus, and Survival game modes.

Skip the Setup — Deploy Now or read the full guide below

Requirements Setup Guide Installation

Hardware Requirements

Here's what you need to run a Left 4 Dead dedicated server.

Economy

Small co-op, 4 players

CPU0.5 cores

RAM512 MB

Storage5 GB

Standard

Versus mode, 8 players

CPU1 core

RAM1 GB

Storage5 GB

Pro

Custom modded server, 8-16 players

CPU2 cores

RAM2 GB

Storage5 GB

Start hosting from your own computer

Run a Left 4 Dead server on your desktop, laptop, VPS, or dedicated machine — GameCP automates Docker setup, resource allocation, and Left 4 Dead configuration instantly. Automatic port forwarding means your friends can connect without touching your router. Start local, scale to a VPS when you're ready.

Get Started FreeNo credit card required

Setup in 4 Steps

Skip the manual SteamCMD installation, port forwarding, and systemd configuration. Install on your own computer and start hosting instantly.

Step 01

Create a GameCP Account

GameCP gives you a full control panel with Docker containerization, file management, automatic port forwarding, and automatic updates — all built in.

Step 02

Connect Your Hardware

Install GameCP on your own desktop, laptop, VPS, or dedicated machine. One-line install — no SSH expertise needed.

GameCP installs Docker, configures networking, and sets up automatic port forwarding so your friends can connect instantly. Start hosting from your own PC and scale to a VPS later. Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Step 03

Deploy Left 4 Dead

Select "Left 4 Dead" from the template library and hit deploy. GameCP handles SteamCMD (App ID: 222840), ports, startup commands, and all configuration automatically.

Includes pre-configured server.cfg. Uses the games:source image. ~5 GB storage.

Step 04

Start Playing

Hit start and share your server address. Automatic port forwarding handles the rest — no router config needed.

GameCP provides live SOURCE console access from your browser. Your friends connect using the address GameCP gives you.

The Manual Way vs. GameCP

Manual Setup

✗ Install SteamCMD manually
✗ Configure 1+ firewall ports and router settings
✗ Write systemd service files
✗ SSH into server to edit configs
✗ Requires a VPS or dedicated server
✗ 30-60 minutes if experienced

With GameCP

One-click SteamCMD install
Automatic port forwarding — no router config
Host from your own PC, VPS, or dedicated server
Docker container with auto-restart
Visual config editor in browser
Under 5 minutes total

Under the Hood

The full manual process to host a Left 4 Dead dedicated server on a VPS. Or install GameCP on your own computer and skip all of this.

Step 1

Configure & Prepare

Set your server settings, then install Docker, SteamCMD, and pull the Left 4 Dead container image.

Server ConfigurationEdit values to update all commands

Server NameServer name displayed in the server browser

Max PlayersMaximum number of concurrent players (4 per team i...

Server ContactContact info for server administrator shown in ser...

Search KeyCustom search keyword. Players can filter servers ...

Lobby Connect OnlyIf enabled, only players connecting via matchmakin...

Start MapThe map loaded when the server starts

Game ModeGame mode for the server

DifficultyDifficulty level for campaign and survival modes

RCON PasswordPassword for remote console (RCON) access

Server PasswordIf set, players will be required to enter this pas...

Auto Update on StartAutomatically update the server via SteamCMD befor...

terminal

# Update system and install Docker
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y docker.io
sudo systemctl enable --now docker

# Create game server directory
sudo mkdir -p /opt/gameserver

# Install SteamCMD
sudo mkdir -p /opt/steamcmd
curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz" | sudo tar zxvf - -C /opt/steamcmd

# Server configuration
export MAX_PLAYERS="8"
export ALLOW_LOBBY_CONNECT="0"
export SRCDS_MAP="l4d_hospital01_apartment"
export GAME_MODE="coop"
export DIFFICULTY="Normal"
export AUTO_UPDATE="0"

# Pull the container image
docker pull ghcr.io/ptero-eggs/games:source

Step 2

Install Server Files via SteamCMD

Download the Left 4 Dead dedicated server using Steam App ID 222840.

terminal

# Download Left 4 Dead server files (App ID: 222840)
/opt/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh \
  +force_install_dir /opt/gameserver \
  +login anonymous \
  +app_update 222840 validate \
  +quit

Step 3

Open Firewall Ports

Left 4 Dead requires 1 port to be open for game traffic and queries.

terminal

sudo ufw allow 27015/both

27015/BOTH(PORT)

Step 4

Launch the Server

Start the Left 4 Dead server using the configuration from Step 1.

Create the startup script

terminal

# Create the startup script
cat > /opt/gameserver/start.sh << 'EOF'
./srcds_run -game left4dead \
-console \
-usercon \
-port 27015 \
+map l4d_hospital01_apartment \
+maxplayers 8 \
+ip 0.0.0.0 \
+hostname "" \
+exec server.cfg \
-strictportbind \
-norestart
EOF
chmod +x /opt/gameserver/start.sh

Run the container

terminal

docker run -d \
  --name left-4-dead-server \
  -p 27015:27015/both \
  -e MAX_PLAYERS="8" \
  -e ALLOW_LOBBY_CONNECT="0" \
  -e SRCDS_MAP="l4d_hospital01_apartment" \
  -e GAME_MODE="coop" \
  -e DIFFICULTY="Normal" \
  -e AUTO_UPDATE="0" \
  -v /opt/gameserver:/opt/gameserver \
  -w /opt/gameserver \
  ghcr.io/ptero-eggs/games:source \
  ./start.sh

Alternative startup profiles:

Competitive (100 Tick) — High tickrate for competitive Versus matches. Better hit registration and smoother infected gameplay.

GameCP lets you switch between these profiles with one click.

Or skip all of this

GameCP automates every step above: Docker, SteamCMD, port forwarding, startup, and config. Install on your own PC and deploy a Left 4 Dead server in under 5 minutes.

Deploy with GameCP