TFW the digital time cards have been sold out for months.

I'm hoping there's an update somewhere, or coming soon, about the status of availability of the digital 60-day time codes on the Square Enix store.

Time cards have been the primary way I've been paying for my XIV subscription since I started playing a decade ago. I used to buy the physical cards when they were available, but since the pandemic and the switch to digital only I've purchased them on the SE store as it's a way to keep my racked up Members points from expiring.

The last time I was able to buy time in this way was in September, and every time I've checked the store since then they've been sold out. I'm glad the free login period happened because I was able to catch up on 6.55 MSQ and do the seasonal event, because otherwise I'd have missed out.

I'm aware of other options such as directly subscribing, as well as other vendors, but I've run into issues looking into them. Until recently, the SE store wasn't accepting my primary method of payment (it would "go through" then immediately refund), and I'm afraid of a declined charge on the Mog Station getting my account banned and losing 10 years of progress. Paypal charges take too long to resolve so I've been trying to rely less on them since last year. Amazon and certain other sites listed as alternatives won't let me pay for "digital goods" because of my country of residence (Canada, of all places!?).

I really would like to continue playing XIV, especially with the hype for Dawntrail building (and the potentially upcoming FFXVI collaboration in the spring), but Square's making that a little hard to do at the moment. :(

Other than potentially bugging a friend to purchase/gift a code for me, are there any other solutions I might be able to use that I might have overlooked?

Short of trying to track down a place that still sells physical GTCs (newegg maybe?) I don't really have any ideas.
As you say this has been a problem for months now, it almost feels like they stopped generating codes when they changed payment processors about a year ago.
Most alternatives short of the uncertain supply of physical cards involve the MogStation in one way or another, be that subbing directly or buying Crysta to then buy a sbscription with Crysta.

Maybe the official launch of the Xbox version will kick things off again but that, too, is uncertain since that shouldn't really change the method of GTC generation/redemption.

Do paysafe cards exist in your country? I can get them at my local grocery store and use them to buy Crysta in the Mogstation and then use these Crysta to pay for the sub and everything else.

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Originally Posted by Tint

Do paysafe cards exist in your country? I can get them at my local grocery store and use them to buy Crysta in the Mogstation and then use these Crysta to pay for the sub and everything else.

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As in like just the Visa/MC gift card you can buy in the store or something different? Because if so, then yes those are pretty easily available. If it's something else then I'm not too sure.

I'll at least look into seeing how Crysta works in the meantime.

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Originally Posted by Austratus

As in like just the Visa/MC gift card you can buy in the store or something different? Because if so, then yes those are pretty easily available. If it's something else then I'm not too sure.

I'll at least look into seeing how Crysta works in the meantime.

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You can think of paysafecards as pretty much "universal" gift cards insofar as you pay an amount of money, get a paysafecard (code) worth that amount of money and a lot (but not all) shops will accept the paysafecard code like one of their own gift cards*.
Their website has them listed as available in Canada.
They're pretty widely available on this side of the pond, most grocers and gas stations here can generate a code or have cards worth generic amounts available with the other gift cards.

*I'm sure that explanation is technically wrong on several levels but it gets the point across, more information is available at the linked wikipedia article and the paysafecard website

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Austratus

As in like just the Visa/MC gift card you can buy in the store or something different? Because if so, then yes those are pretty easily available. If it's something else then I'm not too sure.

I'll at least look into seeing how Crysta works in the meantime.

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Crysta is what I use to pay for my subscription since I don't like having recurring payments in the off chance I forget I am subscribed and it's worked out fine for me. You need 1,500 Crysta to pay for a few months and I believe it's around $20 or so. I would need to doublecheck but it's a pretty simple process. I would definitely recommend it if you're in a similar position.

I have nothing useful to add to this discussion, but I would like to say that I was reading the OP I imagined it being set to the opening of Terranigma, except instead of showing the rise and fall of civilization it's about the supply of time cards running out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxNqChmE2HQ

I've always used Crysta. It's pretty much just FFXIV DTC. Just make your payment from however it works best for you to buy the crysta and you're set.

Other people's mentioned, but using prepaid cards like Visa or Mastercard are an option. I'd highly recommend getting one and buying Crysta with it. I also used the game time cards for my first year or so until I understood what the purpose of Crysta was. Made it a lot easier and there's no risk of overdrawing the account. Worst scenario you forget you're subbed and redeem Crysta you've already paid for, so no extra money comes out of your actual bank account.

Canadian here as well - I typically pay for my subscription via crysta, and purchase the crysta through paypal. I've never had an issue with it. I've also used Visa gift cards I've received to do the same (you have to enter address information on the cards website).

Though I also don't have issue with using my Visa Debit card from my bank. I don't like leaving it on as a method of payment though because sometimes the subscription pre-authorizes like...130 dollars for a 17 dollar subscription fee.

I'm also in Canada and I've never had issues with using my Visa Debit to pay for a sub, or MogStation. I've also used Amazon Pay no issue for MogStation purchases without issues. A declined payment wont get you banned. You just don't get your stuff.
However, if it is your BANK declining the payments, perhaps you should ask your bank what's going on. They might be looking at it and thinking its not a legit charge, but you can always call or go into your local bank and say hey... this was a legit charge, can you please stop blocking it and let it go through? And every charge from this company from now on unless I call to say otherwise? Probably less of a hassle then going to get gift cards all the time and exchanging them etc.

Thanks for all the replies so far!

I think most of my concern with the Visa Debit thing is something that's been fixed, mostly-- personal info stuff that I won't get into for obvious reasons, but I will mention when I did contact my bank about certain charges that were getting reversed on me for unrelated stuff from this month, the bank was saying that it was a vendor issue, not a bank issue. Which I find odd, but in most cases it's either fixed (as in my recent SE store purchase went through no problem) or there's at least a backup method I can use (Paypal, like on Bandcamp which is still being a little stubborn for Twelve knows why).

Anyway, I'm still yet to look into some things but I really appreciate the information. I haven't given up the fight yet!