How to Install CS2 Plugins (Metamod + CounterStrikeSharp)

Installing CS2 plugins means setting up two layers in the right order. Do it correctly once and adding plugins afterward is trivial. Here's the exact process, plus the one-click shortcut on Nxeon.

The stack: Metamod, then CounterStrikeSharp

CS2 does not use SourceMod. The modding stack is two pieces installed in order:

1. Metamod:Source — hooks into the Source 2 engine.
2. CounterStrikeSharp (CSS) — the C#/.NET plugin framework that runs on top of Metamod.

Order matters. CounterStrikeSharp depends on Metamod, so Metamod goes in first.

Step 1: Install Metamod:Source

Download the latest CS2-compatible Metamod build and extract its addons folder into your server's game directory:

text game/csgo/addons/metamod/

Then edit gameinfo.gi so the engine loads Metamod. Under the SearchPaths block add:

text Game csgo/addons/metamod

Place it just above the existing Game csgo line. Save the file. This single edit is the step people most often miss — without it, Metamod (and therefore every plugin) silently fails to load.

Step 2: Install CounterStrikeSharp

Download the CounterStrikeSharp release that includes the runtime (the "with runtime" build) and extract it into the same addons folder:

text game/csgo/addons/counterstrikesharp/

You don't edit gameinfo.gi again — Metamod discovers CounterStrikeSharp automatically because it's a Metamod plugin.

Step 3: Verify the base stack loads

Start the server and open the console. Type:

text meta list

You should see CounterStrikeSharp listed as a loaded Metamod plugin. Then check:

text css_plugins list

An empty-but-working list confirms the framework is running and ready for plugins. If meta list is empty, your gameinfo.gi edit didn't take — recheck Step 1.

Step 4: Install a plugin

CounterStrikeSharp plugins ship as a folder containing a .dll. Drop that folder here:

text game/csgo/addons/counterstrikesharp/plugins/PluginName/PluginName.dll

Each plugin gets its own subfolder. After copying, either restart the server or hot-reload from the console:

text css_plugins reload PluginName

Confirm it loaded with css_plugins list — the plugin should now appear.

Step 5: Configure

Most plugins generate config files on first load under:

text game/csgo/addons/counterstrikesharp/configs/plugins/PluginName/

Edit those, then reload the plugin. Some plugins (like MatchZy) also read match configs you point them at with a command. Check each plugin's docs for its specific config path.

Admin permissions

Admin plugins such as CS2-SimpleAdmin use their own admin file to decide who can run privileged commands. You'll typically add a player's SteamID64 to an admins JSON with a set of flags (kick, ban, map change, root) so the framework knows who's allowed to do what. Set this up before you open the server publicly — otherwise you'll have no in-game way to moderate, and you'll be stuck issuing every command from the server console.

Common pitfalls

• meta list is empty — the gameinfo.gi SearchPaths edit is missing or wrong. This is the number-one cause of "plugins don't work."
• Plugin folder in the wrong place — the .dll must sit in its own subfolder under plugins/, not loose.
• Nothing loads after a CS2 update — update Metamod and CounterStrikeSharp to CS2-current builds before the plugins.
• Wrong CSS build — you need the release bundled with the .NET runtime, not the runtime-less one.

The one-click way on Nxeon

The whole chain — Metamod, the gameinfo.gi edit, CounterStrikeSharp, and each plugin into addons/counterstrikesharp/plugins — is a single click in our Mods manager. On CS2 server hosting, open the Mods tab, and installing MatchZy or retakes sets up the full stack in the correct order automatically, then keeps Metamod and CSS updated after Valve patches so your plugins don't silently break.

Launch a server from our game servers lineup and skip the manual setup entirely. For what to install once your stack is ready, see our roundup of the best CS2 server plugins for 2026.