Purchasing Heavensward on PS4, have a US PSN account to play

[Auclair]

Hi all, I'm currently having a dilemma in regards to the expansion. Here's my situation:

Living in Australia, I bought a copy of ARR from a local supplier for PS4, only to realise that the copy's a US version. Creating a US PSN acc, I was able to activate and play the game with no issues.

With HW coming up, I need to have a US copy of HW to complement my US ARR. Apparently I need to have a US hard copy. I was considering downloading the digital version from the US PSN, but I would like confirmation as to whether hard copies of ARR and HW are required. As of this moment, I am unsure as to whether having the hard copy of ARR and the digital copy of HW will work.

The SE (NA) store does not ship to Australia. I'm currently looking into Amazon, and they apparently have hard copies that ship to Australia. It doesn't look like I will get the early access, because it lists the release date as 23/6.

Any other insights would be helpful. Thank you!

[JonLuso]

Every version of the base game and expansion sold give some sort of a code that instructs the user to input it into the respective website; in this case, it's PSN.

The only difference between a "hard copy" and a digital copy is that one of them has the disc that allows you to install most of the game itself before continuing the download. The code not only grants you a one-time access link to an SE account but also gives you a digital download version of the game. Essentially, you're paying the same amount but getting a disc as an extra.

With PS3 and PS4 users, however, there is a difference: PS3 users will be able to launch the game from the application listed under Game, not the disc (which you can still do so by selecting the Blu-Ray disc icon, but this is not needed).
PS4 users, if installing from the disc, must always launch the game from the disc because of the way the game is installed onto the system. However, if PS4 users, instead, download the game using the code from the "hard copy", they don't need the disc inside the drive to launch the game afterward.

[Dalareid]

We have no confirmation on this but I don't see how going digital would affect you, it should work with either physical or digital as long as you purchase a US copy.

[Felis]

PS4 users, if installing from the disc, must always launch the game from the disc because of the way the game is installed onto the system. However, if PS4 users, instead, download the game using the code from the "hard copy", they don't need the disc inside the drive to launch the game afterward.

PS4 users, who installed with the disc, but don't want to use the disc everytime, can also uninstall the client and install the free trial client.

[JonLuso]

PS4 users, who installed with the disc, but don't want to use the disc everytime, can also uninstall the client and install the free trial client.

Though that's possible, there's no need to redeem the free trial on PSN since you already have the game itself on your Download History from the code insert.

[UltimateAoe2]

Though that's possible, there's no need to redeem the free trial on PSN since you already have the game itself on your Download History from the code insert.

The free trial client is actually the full game itself.
I've done this for my PS4 and it literally removed the "free trial" from the client. It's just plain Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn.

I couldn't download the game from the Download History. (It was greyed out.) So that was my only option, :x