Team Fortress 2 Classic Server Hosting
Play the TF2 that might have been with your community while the AI copilot keeps the server running.
What do you need for TF2 Classic server hosting?
TF2 Classic server hosting needs two installs side by side: the Team Fortress 2 Classified Dedicated Server (Steam app 3557020, the Steam-era name of TF2 Classic) and the regular TF2 dedicated server (app 232250), which Classified reads its base game files from. Add 2–4 GB of RAM, port 27015 and a tf2classified/cfg/server.cfg. On GameTeam you pay per GB of RAM, from $0.49/GB a week, slots are never charged, and the AI copilot edits the config and reads the logs when a plugin refuses to load.
Run your Team Fortress 2 Classic server by just asking.
TF2 Classic behaves like TF2 until it doesn't: the config lives under tf2classified, the server needs a TF2 install beside it, and SourceMod wants development builds. Ask the copilot for what you want and it handles the parts that differ.
Configured Like TF2
SourceMod and server.cfg handled by the copilot the same way.
Cheap to Keep
A Source server on a per-GB plan costs almost nothing to leave running.
One Address, Any Game
Switch the server when the group does.
Team Fortress 2 Classic with friends
A community reimagining of Team Fortress 2 built around what an alternate version might have looked like: new modes, four-team matches and weapons that never shipped. It is TF2 for people who love TF2 and want something a little different.
Team Fortress 2 Classic server RAM requirements
2-4 GB.
| Your server | Starting RAM | From (Budget, weekly) |
|---|---|---|
| A private group, 12 players or fewer | 2 GB | $0.98 / week |
| 24-player public server on four-team maps | 3 GB | $1.47 / week |
| Full server with SourceMod and custom weapon packs | 4 GB | $1.96 / week |
Classified is a Source game and stays light on memory; plugins, custom maps and custom weapon packs are what push it up. Disk is the bigger surprise, because the TF2 files have to sit next to it. Change RAM from the panel at any time. Player limit: 24-32.
How to set up a Team Fortress 2 Classic server on GameTeam
Pick RAM and a location
2 GB covers a private group. Go for 3–4 GB for a public server with plugins. Pick the closest of 25+ locations across Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific.
Set up the server
Tell the copilot the name, password, map and player count, or edit tf2classified/cfg/server.cfg in the file manager. Add your Steam game server token if you want the server listed in the browser.
Bring the group
Everyone needs TF2 in their Steam library and Team Fortress 2 Classified installed (it is free). Share the IP and port from the panel; players join with connect in the console or from the server browser.
Good to know before you start
Runs as its own Source server rather than a TF2 plugin, so it is configured separately from a TF2 install.
Team Fortress 2 Classic server settings explained
TF2 Classic keeps its config apart from TF2's: the server reads tf2classified/cfg/server.cfg, and networking options go in tf2classified/cfg/default.cfg. Player count and the first map are launch options. The settings that matter most:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
hostname | Server name in the browser. |
sv_password | Password to join. Add it to server.cfg for a private server. |
rcon_password | Password for remote console commands. |
sv_lan | 1 makes the server LAN-only; 0 for internet play. |
sv_setsteamaccount | Your Steam game server login token. Without it the server will not appear in the server browser. |
sv_use_steam_networking | Set to 1 in default.cfg to use Steam Datagram Relay instead of opening a port. An SDR server needs a token to be listed. |
+maxplayers (launch) | Player slots. The official guide's example uses 24. |
+map (launch) | The map the server boots into, for example ctf_2fort. |
-tf_path (launch) | Where the TF2 dedicated server files live. Classified will not start without them. |
Team Fortress 2 Classic server commands
These work in the server console or over RCON, and the copilot can run them for you.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
status | Current map, players and the server address. |
changelevel <map> | Switches to another map. |
exec server.cfg | Reloads your config after an edit. |
meta list | Confirms MetaMod:Source loaded SourceMod. |
sm version | Shows the SourceMod build, which must be a development build on Classified. |
sm plugins list | Shows every plugin and whether it is running. |
Can I add mods to a Team Fortress 2 Classic server?
Yes. It is Source based, so SourceMod plugins and custom maps work as they do on TF2.
One difference from TF2: Classified's own server guide says only development builds of MetaMod:Source (2.0) and SourceMod (1.13) work, not the stable releases. The addons folder goes into tf2classified, and TF2-specific plugins also need a patched TF2 Tools extension that the developers share on the TF2 Classified Discord. Custom maps and custom weapon packs are a big part of the game, and the server can host both.
Team Fortress 2 Classic server ports
No router or firewall work on GameTeam: your Classified server's address and port are in the panel, and the port is not always 27015.
Pay per GB of RAM. Never per slot.
You pay for memory, not seats, and billing can be weekly, so you are never locked into a month the group might not play. Change RAM in one click, or switch the same server to another game. The AI copilot is included on every plan.
- ✓ AI copilot included on every plan
- ✓ Unlimited player slots — we never charge per slot
- ✓ Ryzen 9 7950X · NVMe storage
- ✓ DDoS protection included
- ✓ Switch to another game anytime
Hardware & network
Locations
What server owners say
"Honestly didn't expect much from an 'AI manager', but it's how I run my server now. I'll type something like 'why did the server crash last night' and it actually reads the logs and tells me."
Verified review
"I'd been on two other hosts before this. What sold me was the AI manager catching a memory leak in one of my mods and naming the exact one — something I'd been chasing for weeks."
Verified review
"I'm not very technical and setting up servers always stressed me out. Now I just ask the assistant to fix a config, and it either walks me through it or does it for me."
Verified review
Team Fortress 2 Classic server hosting FAQ
Is TF2 Classic the same as Team Fortress 2 Classified?
Yes. TF2 Classic, the community project that started in 2014, was renamed Team Fortress 2 Classified for its Steam release on January 30, 2026, after Valve asked for a name that would not be confused with its own games, such as Team Fortress Classic. Same developers (EMINOMA), same idea. People still search for TF2 Classic, so this page keeps the name.
Do players need to own TF2 to join?
Yes. Classified is free on Steam, but its store page says it requires that you own Team Fortress 2. The server needs TF2's dedicated server files too, which are a free download.
How much does TF2 Classic server hosting cost?
You pay for RAM: $0.49/GB a week on Budget or $1.99/GB billed monthly. A 2 GB server for a private group is $0.98 a week, and a 4 GB public server is $1.96 a week. Slots are unlimited and the AI copilot is included.
What modes can a TF2 Classic server run?
Everything TF2 has, plus what makes Classified different: four-team maps with GRN and YLW joining RED and BLU in modes like Capture the Flag, King of the Hill and Arena, VIP and VIP Race with the Civilian as the escort, Domination and Territorial Domination. Load the map for the mode with changelevel or set it as the start map.
Does SourceMod work on TF2 Classic?
Yes, with two catches. You need development builds of MetaMod:Source and SourceMod, and plugins that rely on TF2's extension need the patched TF2 Tools extension from the developers. If the log says the extension is "too new" or "too old", it is the wrong API build. The copilot reads that log and tells you which one.
How many players can a TF2 Classic server have?
Plan for 24 to 32. The official server guide uses 24 in its example, and four-team maps feel best when each team has a few players. That number is a game and config limit; GameTeam does not charge per slot.
Why does a TF2 Classic server need TF2 installed?
Classified is built as a mod of TF2 and loads TF2's base game files at start, pointed to with -tf_path. So the server machine holds both the Classified server and the TF2 dedicated server, and the guide asks for at least 25 GB of free disk.
How do I update my TF2 Classic server?
Stop the server and start it again from the GameTeam panel and it updates itself to the latest version. After an update, check sm plugins list, since SourceMod development builds can need a refresh too.
Run it yourself — or let the copilot.
Same server, any game.
TF2, the way it might have been.
Deploy a TF2 Classic server, tell the copilot your maps and rules, and send the group the IP.
Deploy your Team Fortress 2 Classic server