When I made this "Game server" section on dodbits, it was back when I ran game servers 2009-2012.

However, I have not added much since and stuff is outdated. Here is a new article in 2025 for an issue as old as my other articles.

The topic can be viewed as "what not to do" as a game server operator.

Server operators have always (way back in 2010) been interested in hiding "fake clients" to falsely claim their server is "full" of real players.

This promoted Valve to have a "Policy of Truth" back then and although that looks like a good guideline, it is not enforced even in 2025, I have that below should you want to read it. 

It has never been OK to falsify data on the steam network, it still isn't in 2025 but some do it anyway and they really should be avoided no matter if Steam isn't enforcing their own rules.

I have examples below on that topic, take a read. 

The problem of Steam game servers using fake clients (bots) and ruining your games.

First up, nothing wrong with server-side bots, the problems are certain servers breaking rules and using bots then hiding them and even… using your Steam ID to apply to them.
Also in most cases these server operators use redirect fake servers to flood the browser and get them to their “fake” full server.

It is not only annoying and disruptive but also… against Steams rules even though a server operator often claims that it isn't. It is and those doing this also have other issues on why you should avoid them.

The issue is lack of enforcement from Steam ignoring manipulation of their software and networks, not lack of rules.

Steam Online Conduct

“As a Steam subscriber you agree to abide by the following conduct rules. In general, as a Steam user you should be a good online citizen and not do anything that prevents any other Steam user from using and enjoying Steam.”

That also means game servers.

Problem 1.

Game Servers that use fake players (bots) then hide the bot numbers in the Steam Game server browser.

That falls under… “… artificially manipulating Steam reviews or other content…”

Disrupt, damage, or manipulate Steam
Examples of such prohibited behavior include: instituting an attack on a Steam server; artificially manipulating Steam reviews or other content; and automatically generating Steam accounts.

 

Problem 2.

Game Servers that do use bots and hiding them in the Steam game server browser are also using visitors Steam ID (their unique Steam ID number) and applying that to bot is also not allowed.

This is deception and “… artificially manipulating Steam reviews or other content…”.

On top of that using a Steam ID in that way is impersonating a Steam user and that is not allowed…

Violate others’ personal rights
Examples of such prohibited behavior include: doxing; scamming; stealing; impersonating; stalking; accessing other users’ Steam accounts; and posting libelous or defamatory statements.

 

How can you find servers that break these rules?

It is not easy.
There are some game server lists where you can find the game servers openly breaking these rules.

Try this server… 164.132.201.109:27017

Look at this list… for that IP 
Note that it can display the server has bots and separates them.

Now open your Half-Life2:deathmatch game in steam, find that same server and note, the server does not have a bot icon…just “players”.

That means the game server operator is “artificially manipulating” the Steam content.

Further to that you see occasional posts on the steam forums of persons seeing their ID/name used on that server.

That particular group is well known for other scams like banning a steam user and misrepresenting they have a “Steam Ban” ….

Then you go to that servers “banned page”

…and find this (note the website has non-copy text and that is also another weird thing about this group)…

“Ban appeal?:
- The only solution is to make a donation on our community.”

This is obviously a server and gaming group to avoid, falsely claiming a steam user has past bans (especially a VAC ban) when they do not is beyond a scam, it is impersonating VAC, a Steam system and also harassing players on the steam network among other rules broken.

Get the Game Server IP and blacklist it in your Blacklist tab in the steam game server browser.

Gaming is for fun...groups like that are into something else obviously, cannot be trusted and should be avoided.

Other lists also deal with servers like this if they “rate” the servers from best to worse.

Same server but on this “Game Tracker” rating list they got a ranking of “NR” (Not Rated) and appear on the last pages…last.

There is a message…
“GAME SERVER RANKING
This server has been detected to report fake or
idle clients and it is not eligible to be ranked. “

Same server again and this time you can see something deeper.

AbuseIP is a service for checking a IP that may be doing something to other servers that it shouldn't.

164.132.201.109 comes up as a problem IP. Read the reports from other servers. This activity is not normal for a "game server" IP.

Obviously these are all the signs of an IP that you don't want to go to.

 

Conclusion

Game servers that engage in this activity of manipulating the Steam game server browser results and hiding bots, then also impersonating another unique Steam user ID are clearly breaking the Steam Online Conduct rules.

But is this enforced? No.

That needs change and should groups like this be reported and delt with?
Why yes.

Have they (and this issue) been officially reported ?

Yes…reported a few times in the Valve Software issues list. 

Is anything being done?

No.

A well-known gaming news publication could maybe look into this issue and give it a little… push.

 

What can players do?

In the meantime all you can do is just be educated about these servers and maybe use some of the more reputable game server lists to join the games you play.

Game Tracker Game Tracker will not not rate a server with fake clients so when looking at servers with lots of players and ranked high (without a "NR" rank), they are what they are... players.

• The servers with fake players are NR (Not Rated) and on raking position last on the default list sorting.
• Pick a game on the right side, under the banner there is a "Server List" tab click on that.
• You can then click on the "Players" link on the filtered tabs if you are after a full server.
• Note that any with lots of players and "NR" in the "Rank" column...that is a bot server.

SteamServerBrowser This one is interesting, It is one of two I know of that (unlike Game tracker) does show a bot icon/info even if the server is hiding it in the Steam game server browser.

• Select a game
• Then a region and click on the "View server list" button
• Note the bot icon is displayed no matter if they are hiding that in the Steam Browser.
• Moreover, clicking on the "Info" of a server shows the Player/Bot counts, past map cycle and below that if that IP has other game servers running on it.

TF2 only Teamwork.TF For TF2 only but like above the bots on that server IP are displayed where some server are hiding that in the official Steam server browser.

• Look for Bot/Player amounts just above the "Join" button

 

Like I said there is nothing wrong with a bot server when the operator isn't hiding it.

But when you see a server in the Steam game server browser having no bots and in these lists they do... then the server operator may be up to more than just telling a small lie and bending a few Steam code of conduct rules about bot amounts, they are likely... a scamming scumbag outfit you may want to avoid.

It may be far better to play on a half filled server than risk whatever other scam the admins who cheat on the rules are up to.

They have already lied to you once and very likely to go further.

During August 2025 Valve Software may have quietly made some changes, not to its Steam client or games but to it's network?

You can now spot server who are manipulating a false bot amount.

This is against the Steam Online Conduct -  “… artificially manipulating Steam reviews or other content…”)

Try this...

1. Right click on a server that claims to have no bots in the "Bots" column.
2. Look at the "Game Info" "Players" numbers... does that match the "Players" column?
3. If it does not... they are falsifying the "Bots" count

Half-Life2:Deathmatch - an obvious bot server hiding their bots

That is part of the scam, pretend to have a full server, disguise the bots with stolen Steam ID's and manipulate the content to the player.

Another part of the scam is the "donation or we will remove the server", claims to be full of real players, ban visitors (even falsifying a Steam VAC ban)...then tell them to make a donation to clear the ban.

You don't want that server.  

While others servers are honest here, servers that run scams like that you should do this...

1. Right click on it and...
2. Select "Add server to blacklist"

The server will not be in the "Internet" tab list, its in "Blacklisted Servers" tab.

Do the same for others until you find server that when checked this way, the numbers in the browser columns match up with the "Game Info" numbers.

The Player names in the "Game Info" box is also interesting. 

You can look up some of them with Steam I/O, pick a unique name in there and sometimes you get a hit on a Steam ID.

Some you will get private accounts or more than one ID with that name...the more unique the name the more information you can get.

In some cases you can snag a unique name "Public" profile it says...they are off-line or don't even own HL2:DM.

How can they be off-line and yet in this server?

It is because the Steam ID is being used by the server operator. Even chatting with stored chat phases.

That sort of activity is impersonating a Steam user account like we see in Steam forum posts.

  

 

Appendix 1

Here is the Valve software Policy of Truth words from the old HLDS mailing list... (back to the top of the Article link after reading)

Originally Posted by Fletcher Dunn <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
Lets be honest

We all know that some server operators run mods specifically designed to falsify information sent to the Valve backend and to their players. These mods inaccurately report the player count and whether players are human or not. They conceal that significant modifications to gameplay have been made. This is detrimental to players' experience.

Perhaps some server operators would actually prefer to not run these mods, but feel that it is necessary to compete and maintain their community. For this reason, Valve has made the decision not to take any action against any server operators at this time.

We will be directly contacting some of the "institutional offenders" who are using these mods on multiple servers. However, whether we contact you directly or not, this email serves as warning to all server operators that we do have the ability to detect this class of behavior, and, going forward, we are going to be more aggressive at policing it. If we determine that you are modifying the network stream or otherwise circumventing basic security measures, we will take the actions needed to maintain a positive environment for our players.

To be perfectly clear, here are some examples of the modifications and behaviours which we consider especially harmful to our community:

* Forging or modifying network communications used to describe server properties to the backend or directly to clients.

* Concealing the fact that bots are bots, and making them appear as human players. (Running bots is OK, as long as no modifications are made that make it difficult for players to identify which players are bots and which are humans.)

* Interfering with the mechanisms that advertise modifications to gameplay rules in the server browser. (For example, nocrits, gravity, respawn times, etc.) Experimenting with gameplay modifications is encouraged, but any mechanisms in the engine designed to alert players to those modifications must be allowed to function.

* Listing the same game server multiple times in the master server.