PETITION: Regarding FINAL FANTASY XIV Steam Version (Mar. 8)

Signed. This has been a long time coming.

I'm totally fine with launching the game through steam, as long as Square starts using steam to update the game instead of their own launcher so the problems with steam re-downloading the game would stop (this is totally Square's fault for not using steam correctly) and this would also help ppl that have problems updating the game through the square's bugged launcher
And also that Square doesn't use the same authentication mode that ESO used

Signed. This is pretty bad news for some people with lost Steam accounts, or those that now want to manage their account through SE directly.

I have a Steam account and while I usually don't have issues with it, with all the restrictions for having a Steam account which most players find out down the road, I certainly want to convert to a normal account. Not only with relying on a 3rd party service (Steam) to validate users, but also in case of account theft if that arises. Double account barring is a scary thought.

The keys, while bought through Steam do show up in our SE account page, so I don't see why we can't change this down the road. SE got our money eventually so why are Steam accounts dumped into being considered low-tier dregs is concerning. Not only with the previous account lock for buying expansions, but now this.

The voices may be small in outrage against this issue, but it appears from reading the posts here that we know of the very bad consequences; or, in extreme cases a complete loss of one of the previous posters being able to play a game at all. The Steam account link seems likely some contractual clause. But, moving to this forced Steam launch is going to directly and permanently affect the userbase. With no way out, I grow fearful of what's to come.

In case people aren't aware, the 'bad' part of this wont' be noticed until the change goes live. Once you're required to auth with Steam before you can sign into XIV, you'll start having the problems ESO players have, where the Steam auth service dips out for a moment and you get dropped from the game.

There has to be an opt out scenario here.

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Originally Posted by Diorik

In case people aren't aware, the 'bad' part of this wont' be noticed until the change goes live. Once you're required to auth with Steam before you can sign into XIV, you'll start having the problems ESO players have, where the Steam auth service dips out for a moment and you get dropped from the game.

There has to be an opt out scenario here.

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Exactly, I can't wait to be at 5% into a Savage run only to drop authentication and dc causing a wipe. I can see it now: "Oh, you can't be in our raid group any more since you are a high risk Steam account holder, we don't want you to dc randomly."

As a Steam user, I bought FFXIV via Steam and installed the client downloaded from S-E website and it's working fine. And I pay my sub via Steam Wallet.

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Originally Posted by miraidensetsu

As a Steam user, I bought FFXIV via Steam and installed the client downloaded from S-E website and it's working fine. And I pay my sub via Steam Wallet.

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That's about to change, buddy.

https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...9d4dcbcf2c5f4d

You will have to use Steam to start the launcher, and you will need a constant connection with their auth service to stay signed in. They do maintenance Tuesday nights during peak NA hours. Guess how that's going to turn out.

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Originally Posted by Diorik

In case people aren't aware, the 'bad' part of this wont' be noticed until the change goes live. Once you're required to auth with Steam before you can sign into XIV, you'll start having the problems ESO players have, where the Steam auth service dips out for a moment and you get dropped from the game.

There has to be an opt out scenario here.

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Wait, so problems with their authentication server can disconnect you even after you already successfully logged in? Because that's pretty much unprecedented in my experience with MMOs and would be a completely unreasonable thing to have to deal with.

Weird change so many years down the line there is probably a reason they are doing this. Maybe some kind of fraud going on with steam keys or something like how they even stopped selling full game upgrades on the mog station.

They should allow you to convert your steam account to a normal Windows PC one if they are going through with this.

I wouldn't mind buying it all again to get rid of steam. The thing I care about is my items which I acquired over a long period of time through hard work. It's unfair that buying through steam locks you out of owning the regular pc version. I'm willing to buy it all again through my same account please let this be a thing SE

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Originally Posted by Nixxe

Wait, so problems with their authentication server can disconnect you even after you already successfully logged in? Because that's pretty much unprecedented in my experience with MMOs and would be a completely unreasonable thing to have to deal with.

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Yes, that's what ESO players have been dealing with ever since the same change.

Please at least allow us to add the windows version to accounts that own the steam licence.

I bought my steam version due to a sale going on. Had I known this would be an issue I would never have done it.

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Originally Posted by Diorik

Yes, that's what ESO players have been dealing with ever since the same change.

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If there is one thing that will inspire me to quit a game in a hurry, it's unreliable performance. Doesn't even matter whose fault it actually is. I can't stand when things don't work correctly.

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Originally Posted by Diorik

In case people aren't aware, the 'bad' part of this wont' be noticed until the change goes live. Once you're required to auth with Steam before you can sign into XIV, you'll start having the problems ESO players have, where the Steam auth service dips out for a moment and you get dropped from the game.

There has to be an opt out scenario here.

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It were never confirmed that the authentication method will be the same as ESO, ppl are just comparing with the worst case in Steam. There is a lot of other games on steam that doesn't work this way, on POE for example you login using steam credentials there is no steam authentication server.

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Originally Posted by Legewiel

It were never confirmed that the authentication method will be the same as ESO, ppl are just comparing with the worst case in Steam. There is a lot of other games on steam that doesn't work this way, on POE for example you login using steam credentials there is no steam authentication server.

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It's entirely likely that those games are under similar pressure to make the change soon. There's no reason to believe or assume ESO opted IN to such a terrible system, especially after claiming multiple times there's nothing they can do differently. Optimism is nice, but bracing for the worst case is important.

I think the reaction to this is premature. Very typical of the internet though; receives a notice of an event happening, takes the worst possible "what-if" scenario and runs with it. Basically an entire thread of fear-mongering.

I'll reserve judgement as to what effect (if any, since I already run my game through Steam anyway) this change will have until they actually happen, and if the worst case scenario does happen and I can't reliably play, I'll just stop giving money to Steam/SE and play something else.

I'm pretty confused as to how people didn't realise they were locked to Steam versions though. It's pretty clearly documented. Maybe if it was received as a gift?

In any case, it seems that looking before you leap (or reading up about a game before pressing BUY in this case) is a lost practice.

I don't use Steam for XIV, I was never given the option afaik when transferring in from 1.0.
But I wouldn't have anyway in how they've handled expansions and such in the past. I've always been urging new players to not use the Steam edition.

While this change may not actually affect anything, it's always good to be on the cautious side.
I've always found it strange you can't simply buy the game again with a normal PC client license.

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Originally Posted by Tlachtga

I think the reaction to this is premature. Very typical of the internet though; receives a notice of an event happening, takes the worst possible "what-if" scenario and runs with it. Basically an entire thread of fear-mongering.

I'll reserve judgement as to what effect (if any, since I already run my game through Steam anyway) this change will have until they actually happen, and if the worst case scenario does happen and I can't reliably play, I'll just stop giving money to Steam/SE and play something else.

I'm pretty confused as to how people didn't realise they were locked to Steam versions though. It's pretty clearly documented. Maybe if it was received as a gift?

In any case, it seems that looking before you leap (or reading up about a game before pressing BUY in this case) is a lost practice.

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It's documented now, thanks to expansions having been released and the policy having been clarified. Back in 2014 there was no indication what you were signing up for when you chose to purchase through Steam. I got the software directly through SE, so why should getting a key from steam affect that?

And I imagine most people are like me and would rather not have the status quo disrupted, which is why there's criticism now. Waiting until it's already implemented is too little, too late.

Sign me in!
I stopped using steam to log in the game because I had to re-download the entire game once a week. It was a nightmare to me...

I was gifted the game via Steam, during ARR days, without I nor the gifter being aware of the repurcussions it would have years later.

I would happily buy the base game and the Shadowbringers expac again if it meant letting me deactivate my Steam key for a regular PC key. Please.

I mean, all for supporting as before, but I sure as heck ain't all for rebuying all of the expansions due to something that didn't even need to happen. It should be a free transfer.

xD Just saying this as I don't want SE to find a reason to milk this.

signed if I have to go back through the steam client again and deal with those issues all over I am canceling my account

I just wanted to come in and sign this in support.

I think a better a request would be to allow a PC code to be attached to override the steam code. That's totally unfair of FFXIV to not allow accounts to switch OFF of a steam link to a PC link. The steam decision I believe is out of their hands; however, a change in account I believe is totally within their realm of change.

Please square, allow your players to switch off of Steam and add a PC FFXIV game code instead.

Thank you

So, two things. First, as the update indicated, this change was to align with Steam policies. Complain to Steam, not S-E. Secondly, there is very likely contractual obligations that require S-E to adhere to the policies. If you're hoping for a key replacement, that probably won't happen either, because of the contractual obligations between Steam and S-E.


This is why you never buy from Steam.

This is definitely NOT Steam that is requiring this change, because the majority of games I have on Steam can be started directly, and the ones that can't all work with the client in offline mode (obviously there so you can still play your games while Steam's servers are down). Not a single one of those other games has mentioned having to change to always-online DRM. If it really was Steam policy, then some of those other developers more than likely would have mentioned it by now, and I doubt many of them are going to want to go push an update to a game that hasn't been updated in years just to add it.

If it worked with Steam in offline mode I wouldn't have a problem, but the way it sounds it'll be an always-on thing, and Steam's uptime is not rhe greatest sometimes. We already have enough connection issues since the datacenter move happened.

I wonder if its in response to the recent news about RMT, fraudulent trial upgrades, and such rather than Steam policy, and that now they're trying to close some weird loophole with it.

We already have different licenses listed for PC, PS4 and Mac all it would take would be to add a seperate listing for Steam and allowing people to register both a standard PC and Steam license to the same Service Account to fix the worst of this. People would still have to buy the game and Expansion(s) again but supposing they can't just turn a Steam license into a general PC license for contractual reasons it seems like the sensible solution.

This is completely absurd. It's clear that everyone will experience a massive increase in disconnects and other related issues. This is not what I paid for. This obligation doesn't make any sense and it's only going to upset a large part of your playerbase.

I would gladly pay for the Window version and put it on my account instead but I can't do that because I registered the Steam version. This wouldn't be too much of an issue if we could still register a Windows version but we can't at the moment. I will wait to see if this is as bad as everyone is saying it is for ESO of course but we should be able to register both Steam and Windows.

I've been playing since mid ARR and was looking forward to Shadowbringers, but I now regret preordering it (through Steam bc I had to)...feeling kinda sick hearing this news.

Signed
I've been running some problems with Steam Version lately (corrupting files / patches etc..).. so... Yep, count me in. I would gladly pay for a conversion at this point.

I vote in favour of this suggestion.

Jesus Christ, please don't force us to launch via steam...

Signed! I vote in favor of this suggestion. I'd happily pay a conversion fee to not have to deal with the Steam client to play FFXIV! I don't want to get locked out of my account for that, that's just a pain...

Signed as well, wasn't aware that valve had such heavy restrictions when I first purchased this, figured it'd just be a nice way to keep my CD keys handy. I'd gladly even pay just to have my account moved over to the PC version, or at least if SE would allow a 1 time conversion.

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Originally Posted by demonette

Consider this signed.

I am LIVID. This is not the state I bought the product in, and I was not warned of this change. I would even PAY for the option to be free of Steam. This is incredibly scummy and anti-consumer.

I put in a SUPPORT TICKET, and I would ask anyone else to please also put in a ticket! Flood them with support tickets about this issue and make them realize how unpopular this is!

I'm not taking this lying down, this is awful.

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Done

Signed. Please allow me to convert my version to a non-Steam one, or don't receive a subscription from me any longer. I haven't launched FFXIV through Steam in years, I'm unhappy with their service, launcher, and business practices lately, and if you're going to force my hand here, well, it's been a long and interesting road but this is a deal breaker for me.

I'm a steam user but let me ask a few questions to clarify...

I always have steam open, and online. I also have turned off the overlay years ago for FFXIV. So if I'm always on steam (online) and have a tendency to launch via steam anyway will this in any way shape or impact me on that front? I did read that steam would HAVE to be online to launch it now which, if yesterday was any indication, wouldn't be possible now when steam went kaput for a short period. If so that's just an unnecessary restriction. If it worked before why break it now?

Not everyone uses steam for most everything like I do, let them keep their option. Having a login behind a login isn't a smart move.

You can consider this signed from me.


My account is Windows version. I bought the Steam version afterwards in order to have it in my Steam Library. I gave the key for that later purchased account to a friend. At this point I have no idea if I'll be able to continue launching the game from Steam, or if my friend will be able to access his own account anymore unless he buys another additional Steam copy, and also what'll happen to that inevitable extra steam account purchased as a result.

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Originally Posted by Mesarthim

I'm a steam user but let me ask a few questions to clarify...

I always have steam open, and online. I also have turned off the overlay years ago for FFXIV. So if I'm always on steam (online) and have a tendency to launch via steam anyway will this in any way shape or impact me on that front? I did read that steam would HAVE to be online to launch it now which, if yesterday was any indication, wouldn't be possible now when steam went kaput for a short period. If so that's just an unnecessary restriction. If it worked before why break it now?

Not everyone uses steam for most everything like I do, let them keep their option. Having a login behind a login isn't a smart move.

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If you normally launched the game through Steam and kept it online, you'd see no difference in your play (Outside of when Steam goes down)

As for "Why break it now?" I guess Steam's starting to assert some dominance. Given that literally every other digital distribution software has basically failed to compete with it outside having exclusive games (I.e. Origin)

Since, this change is from Valve and Steam as a whole, rather than from SE specifically regarding FFXIV.

Steam trying to force always online DRM... Meh... It was bad enough with just having to go online just to go into offline mode >.>

Wait.. whats going on with steam, what the hell did i miss?

Signed. ;-; Why are they doing this..

Well guess its time to make a new account to get away from Steam. I don't want to deal with Steam doing this. SE needs to fix this. I would gladly, GLADLY rebuy the game for the standard PC version but I can't even put it on my account if I did, as previous posters have stated.