Left 4 Dead 2 Launch Options

Checkpoint64 offers 4 launch options for Left 4 Dead 2. A launch option is a switch the game reads from its command line when it starts. Tick the ones you want in Checkpoint64 and the app adds them every time you press LAUNCH, or type them into Steam yourself.

Every option and what it does

OptionWhat it does
-novidSkips the intro videos when the game starts.
-consoleStarts the game with the developer console enabled.
-window -noborderRuns the game in a borderless window instead of exclusive fullscreen.
-vulkanUses the Vulkan renderer instead of DirectX 9.

Launching Left 4 Dead 2 with them in Checkpoint64

  1. Open your Left 4 Dead 2 save in Checkpoint64. LAUNCH appears there when the game is installed through Steam on that PC.
  2. Open Launch options under it and tick the ones you want — each shows the explanation above.
  3. Press LAUNCH: Checkpoint64 starts Left 4 Dead 2 through Steam with the options you ticked.

Your picks are saved to your Checkpoint64 account per platform, so a Windows PC and a Linux machine each keep their own set.

Adding them in Steam yourself

  1. In your Steam Library, right-click Left 4 Dead 2 and choose Properties.
  2. On the General tab, find Launch Options.
  3. Type the options you want, separated by spaces — for example -novid -console — and close the window.

Launch options change how Left 4 Dead 2 starts, not your saves. If the game won't start after adding one, take it back out.

Where Left 4 Dead 2 keeps its saves: Left 4 Dead 2 config file location. For how its saves break and how to roll one back, read the Game Config Backup guide.

Common questions

What launch options does Left 4 Dead 2 have?

Checkpoint64 offers 4: -novid: Skips the intro videos when the game starts. -console: Starts the game with the developer console enabled. -window -noborder: Runs the game in a borderless window instead of exclusive fullscreen. -vulkan: Uses the Vulkan renderer instead of DirectX 9.

How do I add launch options to Left 4 Dead 2 in Steam?

Right-click Left 4 Dead 2 in your Steam Library, choose Properties, and type the options, separated by spaces, into Launch Options on the General tab — for example -novid -console. Steam uses them every time it starts the game; delete one from that box to undo it.

Can Checkpoint64 launch Left 4 Dead 2 with these options?

Yes, when Left 4 Dead 2 is installed through Steam on that PC. Open your Left 4 Dead 2 save in Checkpoint64, tick the options you want under Launch options, and press LAUNCH: it starts the game through Steam with them. What you tick is saved to your account per platform, so a Windows PC and a Linux machine each keep their own.