Steam + Normal FFXIV

Hello all i was wondering something if i buy the Expansion(Shadowbringer) from steam could i still play it from the normal FFXIV Launcher or must i play from Steam ?

Used to, now you cannot. Tho if your current copy of FFXIV is on Steam, you MUST buy the Steam version. Steam and Windows versions are beyond exclusive/incompatible unlike either and PS4.

Adding to the above, at the moment you can still use the non-Steam launcher to play the Steam version of the game (as both use exactly the same launcher/files, the only difference is your licence and if it is flagged as Steam or not).

However SE has said that in an upcoming update you'll no longer be able to do that and Steam users will have to launch the game from Steam. But they've pushed it back and back (and hopefully changed their minds about doing it...) so right now we don't know if/when it'll happen or how it's going to work/what checks it is doing.

Their last update on this: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...9d4dcbcf2c5f4d

But if your question was can you change from Steam to non-Steam, the answer is no, you're stuck on Steam forever sorry.

Good afternoon and thank you for posting in the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums.

I apologize for the delay in our response to your concern. As worldofneil stated, at the moment you are still able to launch the Steam version of Final Fantasy XIV without having to go through the Steam application. In the future, if you are playing the Steam version of the game,you will have to go through the Steam application itself.

For more updates, please use the following link: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...550.1553886717

As this issue is not a tech problem, I will be moving this thread to 'General Discussion'

Thank you for visiting the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums

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Originally Posted by Dynratygus

Good afternoon and thank you for posting in the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums.

I apologize for the delay in our response to your concern. As worldofneil stated, at the moment you are still able to launch the Steam version of Final Fantasy XIV without having to go through the Steam application. In the future, if you are playing the Steam version of the game,you will have to go through the Steam application itself.

For more updates, please use the following link: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...550.1553886717

As this issue is not a tech problem, I will be moving this thread to 'General Discussion'

Thank you for visiting the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums

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Is there any chance we will be able to get access to convert to a non-Steam version? Otherwise, that could potentially stuff over Steam users in a big way.

Id love to be able to change version but I doubt it.

I just recently got into game - bought the ARR long time ago and stopped playing almost at start.
It was years ago, so i have no idea if it is Steam account or not - currently I launch start the game from launcher, without using steam client.

But - My account shows that it is Steam linked - does that mean that I need to buy all expansions etc from steam store or I can actually buy from square?
It would be quite disappointing if I buy Stormblood and Shadownbringers not from steam and get them removed after the fact.

So, my question is - am I stuck with Steam version and I should buy only Steam versions (since account is Steam-linked), or can I buy from a store I prefer?
Also - the free Heavensward key I got was from Square store, so that is confusing as well - if the versions will be delinked, will it mean I lose that one too?

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Originally Posted by Rudens_RK

So, my question is - am I stuck with Steam version and I should buy only Steam versions (since account is Steam-linked), or can I buy from a store I prefer?
Also - the free Heavensward key I got was from Square store, so that is confusing as well - if the versions will be delinked, will it mean I lose that one too?

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If the game was originally purchased through Steam, ARR, then yes you will have to make sure that you buy all expansions through Steam to have them officially tied to that copy of ARR.

In regards to your free HW key, that isn't tied to the ARR at all as it was done through the SE store, not through Steam. Though if you wish to you can buy another copy of ARR to tie that with the HW and later you can buy Shadwbringers(Which comes with all previous expansions; Shadowbringers, Stormblood & Heavensward.) Like what the mod said above, there is the chance that it will be separated and that will prevent your Heavensward copy from being used on your Steam copy.