What happens if... (expansion question)

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Do I need to purchase FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward for each of the platforms that I currently play A Realm Reborn on?
Global: Yes. You will need to purchase and register a copy for each of the platforms that you would like to play on. For example: You play FFXIV: ARR on PC and PS4 and wish to play the expansion on both of those platforms, then you would need to purchase FFXIV: Heavensward on both PC and PS4.

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So what happens if I decide to only by the PC edition (because theres no way I'd pay over a hundred pounds in order to get both). Do I get to create/convert a Au'Ra character but then its missing if I go to PS4? :/

Definitely expect to not be able to log into a character that was logged out in an area that is added in the expansion. Not sure about Au'Ra characters/the new jobs.

@_@ eee. this will get messy

If you log out in a new area and try to log in on the PS4 in that scenario, you will either be unable to log in, or it will transport your character to another location, most likely your starting city. If you have an Au Ra character, you will simply be unable to log in on it on PS4, it will still be there on log in screen etc.

This was actually answered in another post. You will have to buy the expansion for each platform that you want to play on. If you login to another platform that does not have the expansion on it and in a new area, you wont be able to login.

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Originally Posted by Shori

@_@ eee. this will get messy

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If you're frequently swapping plaforms for FFXIV, I'd recommend getting the expansion for the one you play on the most, and then wait awhile before buying it again for the other

Actually, SE stated that upgrades will launch upon Heavensward release that will make players who aren't playing in the expansion areas still have the ability to work with players who are.

I think, that if this is the case, you will be able to use your own Au Ra, since the data will be there for you. Just not in new areas.

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Originally Posted by Ametrine

Actually, SE stated that upgrades will launch upon Heavensward release that will make players who aren't playing in the expansion areas still have the ability to work with players who are.

I think, that if this is the case, you will be able to use your own Au Ra, since the data will be there for you. Just not in new areas.

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They have stated that items, characters and such will be available, but don't expect to be using that black chocobo or going to any new content or areas. Items will be there simply because they are accessible by mb. No new items=no mb

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Originally Posted by Ametrine

Actually, SE stated that upgrades will launch upon Heavensward release that will make players who aren't playing in the expansion areas still have the ability to work with players who are.

I think, that if this is the case, you will be able to use your own Au Ra, since the data will be there for you. Just not in new areas.

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I'm hoping that this is the case. Like, I had the collector's edition FFXIV for PC but standard for PS3(upgraded to PS4) and can still summon the coeurl or baby behemoth or wear the helmet and/or moogle cap.
I'm not fussed if I can only access new areas on the PC version, and I mainly use the playstation for more chilled gameplay such as gathering, story or roleplay.

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Originally Posted by Ametrine

Actually, SE stated that upgrades will launch upon Heavensward release that will make players who aren't playing in the expansion areas still have the ability to work with players who are.

I think, that if this is the case, you will be able to use your own Au Ra, since the data will be there for you. Just not in new areas.

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It's the technicality that may make the character non-selectable if they were playing on a platform without the expansion.

While yes this may sound a tad messyI imagine it might work like this.

PC Version Expansion=Accessible
-Can access new zones, play as Au Ra race and play the three new jobs

PS4 version Expansion=Don't have
-Can not access new zones, play as Au Ra race and can't access the three new jobs.

What you are describing is what happens in every mmo regardless of whether or not a person has an expansion those who only have vanilla will still have access to the resources like the visual representation of new gear however with odds of Rowens being in Ishgard that means in order to purchase these new pieces of armor you'll need to be in Ishgard.

Granted I can see this getting a tad messy with how finicky they might be, since this also leads to the question like, if I"m lv 55 and I go on ps4 that doesn't have expansion, will I still be able to level or will my xp not go up when I am on a vanilla platform.

It really all comes down to how many switches are involved with the expansion but if we take the "Features" on the site at face value the switches would be:

A New Level Cap (50 → 60)

Flying Mounts

A New Playable Race: The Au Ra

New Jobs: Dark Knight, Machinist, and Astrologian

A New City-state: The Holy See of Ishgard

New Primals: Bismarck and Ravana

A New High-end Raid: Alexander

Airship Construction and Customization in Free Company Workshops

And More!

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So if you look at it like that I"d say all the above would be available on platform you have expansion on however if you switch to the platform without the expansion you would lose access to all the above.

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Originally Posted by Airget

however with odds of Rowens being in Ishgard that means in order to purchase these new pieces of armor you'll need to be in Ishgard.

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not true we buy our armour from rowena's employee's who work in mordhona in rowena's house of splendours,rowena herself will be in ishgaurd to most likely set up a second shop :3

and i agree with a few people if your character is AU RA and you try to play on something without heavenward that character will most likely be unplayable, it would be a mercy if SE let you play as a au ra but i could see people then using a single computer race changing then not buying heavenward (for whatever reason)

Was already said that if you have the CE on one platform, buying the regular on another you will still get all of your CE items on either platform. You only need to buy a second license to access the second platform, everything else just is extra. So buy the CE for PC (or PS4) then the regular for the other and you will have access to everything.

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Originally Posted by Airget

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That isn't actually how most MMOs work. You upgrade your ACCOUNT, not your computer. Every system with the game installed gets the full update, and when you pay for the expansion, it unlocks things that are already there, so if you log onto a friend's computer who doesn't have the expansion, you'll be able to play expansion content.

I don't know why XIV isn't doing that. Pay for an account upgrade, not an upgrade on the system itself. It feels like they're trying to double-dip.

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Originally Posted by peaches

That isn't actually how most MMOs work. You upgrade your ACCOUNT, not your computer. Every system with the game installed gets the full update, and when you pay for the expansion, it unlocks things that are already there, so if you log onto a friend's computer who doesn't have the expansion, you'll be able to play expansion content.

I don't know why XIV isn't doing that. Pay for an account upgrade, not an upgrade on the system itself. It feels like they're trying to double-dip.

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I think it's more to do with Sony and Valve wanting a slice of the pie on their platforms.

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Originally Posted by Seig345

I think it's more to do with Sony and Valve wanting a slice of the pie on their platforms.

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its simply this and the fact that SE wants more profits,
when placing out something that is called an expansion and with the update system they could simply update for free but the subscription costs won't give them a profit over production costs, so selling it like they have allows them to cover the costs of making 3.0 while making a profit,

as for valve and psn Valve have a 15% take on all sales (unless it is a company) (indie devs dependant on there price can have valve take 20% of there costs if they were green lighted)
for PSN for companies SONY take 20%
(25 to 15 % for indie or for 'big releases') which results of PS4 games being so expensive

basically everyone wants profits, sony and valve syphon from the main price of the game to cover there costs and make a profit while SE is trying to cover the costs of making heavenward while making a profit

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Originally Posted by DracotheDragon

its simply this and the fact that SE wants more profits,
when placing out something that is called an expansion and with the update system they could simply update for free but the subscription costs won't give them a profit over production costs, so selling it like they have allows them to cover the costs of making 3.0 while making a profit,

as for valve and psn Valve have a 15% take on all sales (unless it is a company) (indie devs dependant on there price can have valve take 20% of there costs if they were green lighted)
for PSN for companies SONY take 20%
(25 to 15 % for indie or for 'big releases') which results of PS4 games being so expensive

basically everyone wants profits, sony and valve syphon from the main price of the game to cover there costs and make a profit while SE is trying to cover the costs of making heavenward while making a profit

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Honestly I call BS on needing to sell the expansion to make their money back - one month's subscription from everybody is a LOT of money. Yea it definitely helps profits, but subs alone are a massive money maker.

There's absolutely no reason to charge every system for the expansion. You can play any other MMO on any computer, even if that computer didn't buy the game - because the game is a free download, and the cost is giving the code to the account, and not the computer.

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Originally Posted by peaches

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I will agree with you on the re buying being a needless hassle that we are being told to do by SE, but It still makes sense in a retrospect to charge for the PS4 and Steam versions separately as far as SE are concerned they are 3rd party systems, Steam runs on any and all computers and may be using the Mac port to make it multi platform as well, but this isn't a computer owned by the player this is a computer using steam. if SE wanted to ignore steam we would be using PlayOnline still as you have to use that to access FFXI.


with a monthly subscripton to say that they are getting money from everyone is ignoreing the fact of people paying in bulk, this also ignores server costs, costs of employee's the internet costs on there sides (housing a MMO costs a lot due tot he massive upload speed required), if you take out the factor of all costs they have to cover it may still equal a profit but not enough in the eyes of SE or there accountants to cover the costs of essentially making a 3rd game of the XIV series (which is what expansions are),

Now do not get me wrong i do agree with it being bad to charge PC players who play on MAC and having to buy for that is a harsh move,
but buying it on PS3 or PS4 Or steam is another, they could of done as someone above said, have it as a account wide buy, (which i wish they did) but that move is one done by SE's marketing, accountants and retail team, a decision they most likely chose due to the higher profits.

now look at wow, as well, if one computer has lets say warlords of Dr** (cannot say full title) you only have a limited amount of re-downloads this means that after that meny downloads you may be forced into buying a new code for the game, or having to explain why you installed it on so meny computers. SE did not do this as you pointed out, what blizz get away with is far more expensive then what SE has chosen to do with its free download on any computer. plus, once you have heavenward on PC you can do the same, just not on a PS4 (which you have to buy from sony) ps3 (ditto) and steam (Valve) as for the mac, i do not understand there choise there.

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Originally Posted by peaches

Honestly I call BS on needing to sell the expansion to make their money back - one month's subscription from everybody is a LOT of money. Yea it definitely helps profits, but subs alone are a massive money maker.

There's absolutely no reason to charge every system for the expansion. You can play any other MMO on any computer, even if that computer didn't buy the game - because the game is a free download, and the cost is giving the code to the account, and not the computer.

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You can play XIV on any computer with the game downloaded, provided it has the same content downloaded.

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Originally Posted by Valkyrie_Lenneth

You can play XIV on any computer with the game downloaded, provided it has the same content downloaded.

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If you have Heavensward, and you use a friend's computer who doesn't own Heavensward, what happens? If you can access all the content like normal, that's cool. And it should be like that on the PS4 as well, but it won't be. With other MMOs I've played either the game itself is a free download, but you can only log on with an active account with a game licence. You could torrent the game for all it matters, as long as you have an active account. I'd prefer if XIV was the same way, cross system.

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Originally Posted by peaches

If you have Heavensward, and you use a friend's computer who doesn't own Heavensward, what happens? If you can access all the content like normal, that's cool. And it should be like that on the PS4 as well, but it won't be. With other MMOs I've played either the game itself is a free download, but you can only log on with an active account with a game licence. You could torrent the game for all it matters, as long as you have an active account. I'd prefer if XIV was the same way, cross system.

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if he hasn't got heavenward installed you won't be able to play your character or go into the area's if he dose have heavensward (because you downloaded and installed it) it should just block him from going into those area's because he dosnt have heavenward

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Originally Posted by peaches

If you have Heavensward, and you use a friend's computer who doesn't own Heavensward, what happens? If you can access all the content like normal, that's cool. And it should be like that on the PS4 as well, but it won't be. With other MMOs I've played either the game itself is a free download, but you can only log on with an active account with a game licence. You could torrent the game for all it matters, as long as you have an active account. I'd prefer if XIV was the same way, cross system.

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When you login with your character on friends computer it *should* be checking what version you have access to and then download it since your account is flagged for it. This is of course assuming they are not going with two separate launchers.

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Originally Posted by Silversnow

When you login with your character on friends computer it *should* be checking what version you have access to and then download it since your account is flagged for it. This is of course assuming they are not going with two separate launchers.

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I know this isn't FFXI, but this is also ARR's first true expansion, so there's no precedent; FFXI's PlayOnline launcher only downloaded the content necessary in the event expansion gear walked back into standard areas, but did not download the full content even if you had it registered. You still had to run the install disc. Granted, this was in a considerably less digital age, so that may mean nothing, and the content "lock" will (hopefully) come down to only which platform/expansion licenses you have.

My guess is if you have the expansion on one platform and not the other it may just flat out deny you the ability to log in. There would be too many checks in place to determine if you're using non-expansion content or not.

* Is the player the new race?
* Is the player currently equipped with the new jobs?
* Is the player located in a new expansion-only area?
* What if the player tries to access expansion-only content while using non-expansion content, even if they have it unlocked?

For simplicity it will either deny all characters or simply any characters that have been marked as "expansion accessible". By that I mean if you have any expansion-related content unlocked it will simply lock that character out from being used on a platform that doesn't have the content purchased. However I still think it'll just flat out deny any accounts without the required keys for that platform regardless if they have it for a different one. As for CE items I figure you only need to buy the CE once, standard will suffice on any other platforms considering you can only obtain them one time. Of course that also means you could probably buy the Collector's Edition on say PS4 but the standard edition through say Steam and still get the collector items.