protonscr

SteamCMD cannot differentiate between branches anymore after using -beta branch

steamopen SteamCMD
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#8366 · opened 2022-01-28 by uniquoo · updated 2026-03-11 · 4 comments · github
Uuniquoo 2022-01-28 github

Your system information

  • SteamCMD Version: 2.2.95.35
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Windows/Linux
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: No
  • Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes]
  • Using Hamburg / Germany Edge PoP

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Using SteamCMD to manage multiple versions of the same appid renders SteamCMD unable to switch between version (beta, release branch, ..). Once you've used a SteamCMD instance/installation to install a beta branch SteamCMD is unable to install the release branch (normal version) anymore and sticks to the beta instead.

This behavior is unaffected by any changed commandline arguments whatsoever.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  • Download SteamCMD, extract it into C:\test0 and update it
  • Install the first game (release branch without arguments)
  • C:\test0\steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:\test1\ +login anonymous +app_update 258550 +quit
  • Result: Correct version installed (release version)
  • Install the second instance of the game (beta branch without arguments)
  • C:\test0\steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:\test2\ +login anonymous +app_update 258550 -beta staging +quit
  • Result: Correct version installed (beta version)
  • Install third game (release branch without arguments again)
  • C:\test0\steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:\test3\ +login anonymous +app_update 258550 +quit
  • Result: WRONG version installed (beta version)

Following installation retries will always result in only the beta branch will be installed.

Ddennisrijsdijk 2022-01-29 github

Confirmed this happens as well, but actually on linux.

Your system information
SteamCMD Version: Steam Console Client (c) Valve Corporation - version 1642451655
Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Ubuntu 18.04 Server and Ubuntu 20.04 Server, as well as docker images for these distributions were tested
Opted into Steam client beta?: No
Have you checked for system updates?: Yes

CColinM9991 2022-06-15 github

Can confirm this also happens on Windows Server 2019 as I've just discovered this issue by searching for this behaviour.

Currently working around this by specifying -beta for each instance.

BBETLOG 2026-03-11 github

I just ran into this with valheim_server.x86_64
At this point (4 years later) i'm going with:

  1. assume steamcmd will always persistently default to last beta set, even when its removed.
  2. always set a -beta
Uuniquoo 2026-03-11 github

I just ran into this with valheim_server.x86_64 At this point (4 years later) i'm going with:

1. assume steamcmd will always persistently default to last beta set, even when its removed.

2. always set a -beta

As a workaround im still sticking to indivdual steamcmd instances per application to prevent this from happening.
Funny that this is still an open issue 4 years later.

Nothing extracted yet.