How to fix Modern Warfare 2 “disconnected from Steam” error

A strange error has popped up for Modern Warfare 2 players on PC that’s disconnecting them from Steam, and we’ll go over exactly how you can get around this problem.

Modern Warfare 2’s release on October 28 broke numerous records, making it the most successful launch in Call of Duty history, and players have been enjoying all the new content in the game.

However, that doesn’t mean the game has been free of problems in its early weeks, as PC players have been encountering an error message which says that they’ve been disconnected from Steam.

Here’s how you can fix the Modern Warfare 2 disconnected from Steam error.

How to fix Modern Warfare 2 disconnected from Steam error

Activision

At the time of writing, the developers haven’t implemented a permanent fix for the disconnected from Steam error, but there are a few different solutions that you can use to get around this problem.

We’ll go over all the temporary measures that have worked for Call of Duty players when trying to fix the Modern Warfare 2 disconnected from Steam error.

Check the Modern Warfare 2 server status

It’s possible that this error is popping up because the problem is not on your end, as sometimes the game’s servers may be facing issues. When that’s the case, your only option is to wait for the developers to fix the issue.

You can check the Modern Warfare 2 server status on the official Activision website. If the servers are active and you’re still facing this problem then you can try a few different workarounds.

Log out of Steam and then log back in

One simple solution is to exit Steam and then log back in before launching the game again. If the issue was with your sign in, then this should fix the issue, and you won’t encounter the disconnected from Steam error.

Alternatively, you can also restart your computer and then sign in to Steam. If neither of these solutions did the trick, then you’ll need to see if the problem is with the game itself.

Scan and repair the Modern Warfare 2 game files

You might be encountering this problem because of some corrupted files in the Modern Warfare 2 installation directory. One way to fix the disconnected from Steam error is to scan and repair them.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the Steam client
2. Select Modern Warfare 2 from your library
3. Head to Settings and select Properties
4. Go to Local Files and select Verify integrity of game files

Update Modern Warfare 2

Another reason that this error might occur is that you’re not running the latest patch for Modern Warfare 2. If that’s the cause then you’ll need to check for new updates and then put it on download.

Here’s how you can do this:

1. Open the Steam client
2. Select Modern Warfare 2 in your library
3. In the game Settings, go to Updates
4. Download the latest update if available

Clear Steam’s download cache

If neither of those solutions has done the trick then you can always try clearing the Steam download cache. This method has proven to be successful in getting rid of the Modern Warfare 2 disconnected from Steam error.

Here’s how to clear the Steam download cache:

1. Launch the Steam client
2. Open Settings and head to the Downloads section
3. Select the option to clear the download cache there

This should also clear up the issue of the disconnected from Steam message if it has popped up in any of your other games. Hopefully, one of these solutions will work in getting rid of the problem until the developers announce a proper fix.

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For more Modern Warfare 2, take a look at our review of the campaign and multiplayer as well as these leaks that may have revealed a few “fan-favorite” Season 1 maps.

Image Credits: Activision / Steam