Why can't I download the current patch first then resub?

[Sumilre]

Don't know where is the correct place to post this.
As title says, I wonder why I have to resub first, only after then I can download the currecnt patch from server?
This is not a free game, and why I have to waste my subscription time to download these things?

[Ransu]

The obvious answer is it keeps bandwidth costs down. Seems silly to complain about the 10 minutes you spend downloading a patch though.

[Votraftur]

Good morning! Thank you for posting in the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums.

We apologize for any inconvenience that has occurred when playing Final Fantasy XIV. Unfortunately, the issue you are describing does not appear to be a technical issue. I will go ahead and move this thread to “General Discussion" instead.

Thank you once again for visiting the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums!

[Deceptus]

Don't know where is the correct place to post this.
As title says, I wonder why I have to resub first, only after then I can download the currecnt patch from server?
This is not a free game, and why I have to waste my subscription time to download these things?

Always wondered this myself. No reason the launcher can't download current assets as an incentive to re-sub

Or version check

[EgilTheStressedMage]

Always wondered this myself. No reason the launcher can't download current assets as an incentive to re-sub

Or version check

Because money and Square Enix.

[Kes13a]

I know of few to no services that you pay for that you can download the current version without an "active license". generally since you have to sign in to the launcher, its going to do a version check and see if you qualify for the current release software. no subscription active on your login, means no update.

if they did allow it then the OP would be mad that they cant start the game without a sub. basically, the concept that business follows is "if you really want to use the software, you want to have the latest version, thank you for paying..."

[Bekuta]

In a similar line, why can't I pause my subscription when I go to the bathroom/sleep? I don't want to waste my subscription time on something that's not playing.

[TheMightyMollusk]

On console, patches download before I even get to the login screen. Doesn't check my sub until I try to actually log in.

[Alpheus]

On console, patches download before I even get to the login screen. Doesn't check my sub until I try to actually log in.

We do get the downside that if PSN goes down but XIV doesn't you can't log in until PSN goes back online, as it will fail to authenticate the added PSN check that the console version has. You'll never get kicked out of the game (once you're in) if PSN goes down, but if you do get 90k'd after dodging a PSN outage so to speak you will remain locked out if the game kicks you back to launcher (unless your error code rolls a saving throw and kicks you to title screen rather than launcher). So there is a con for us console players in this regard sadly, because otherwise yea being able to download updates independently from launching the launcher is pretty dang neat.

[Avatre]

We do get the downside that if PSN goes down but XIV doesn't you can't log in until PSN goes back online, as it will fail to authenticate the added PSN check that the console version has. You'll never get kicked out of the game (once you're in) if PSN goes down, but if you do get 90k'd after dodging a PSN outage so to speak you will remain locked out if the game kicks you back to launcher (unless your error code rolls a saving throw and kicks you to title screen rather than launcher). So there is a con for us console players in this regard sadly, because otherwise yea being able to download updates independently from launching the launcher is pretty dang neat.

While that is true, I find it happens very rarely that I get kicked back to the launcher, except in the early stages of EW release at least. Very rarely(as in I can count it on one hand) has it happened outside of that time frame.