Can't Buy Shadowbringers for PS4?

[JimR]

So, some background: I initially played ARR on PS3, then used the free upgrade to PS4 back in 2014. I quit for a few years, then recently got back into playing. I was able to redownload the client through my PS4 library, and have been playing ARR with no problems.
However, I can't purchase any digital upgrades on the PSN store.

Whenever I go to buy any expansion (Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers) they all say "Cannot purchase" and the reason given is "No Final Fantasy XIV: A Real Reborn Play Right Owned" (In Japanese 所有していません ファイナルファンタジーXIV: 新生エオルゼア プレイ権). But I do have ARR. I play it every day.

Does anyone have any idea what this might mean?
If I buy the disc version, will I be able to play it normally?

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

[Niwashi]

I saw the same error on my secondary account a couple months or so ago when they were running a special offering Heavensward for free. Even though I had ARR, it said I couldn't add Heavensward because I didn't have FFXIV A Realm Reborn Standard Edition. (I had ARR Collectors Edition.) So instead I used the code I had from a disc version and it worked.

On my main account (where I'd originally intended to use that disc copy) the free upgrade from PSN worked.

I'm not sure why PSN would be able to add an expansion to one account and not another when it already recognized that I had the base game on both. Nor am I sure why, on an account where it was unable to add an expansion through a direct PSN purchase, it could still add it from entering a code for it. (It seems like the sort of error that Customer Service should be able to sort out, but since I already had a copy on disc and was able to make it work with that, I didn't call them.)

As to whether buying the disc version of Shadowbringers would get around the problem and enable you to register it, I'd say it probably would. At least it did for me on Heavensward. But it's a weird enough error that I can't guarantee you'd get the same result.

[JimR]

I saw the same error on my secondary account a couple months or so ago when they were running a special offering Heavensward for free. Even though I had ARR, it said I couldn't add Heavensward because I didn't have FFXIV A Realm Reborn Standard Edition. (I had ARR Collectors Edition.) So instead I used the code I had from a disc version and it worked.

On my main account (where I'd originally intended to use that disc copy) the free upgrade from PSN worked.

I'm not sure why PSN would be able to add an expansion to one account and not another when it already recognized that I had the base game on both. Nor am I sure why, on an account where it was unable to add an expansion through a direct PSN purchase, it could still add it from entering a code for it. (It seems like the sort of error that Customer Service should be able to sort out, but since I already had a copy on disc and was able to make it work with that, I didn't call them.)

As to whether buying the disc version of Shadowbringers would get around the problem and enable you to register it, I'd say it probably would. At least it did for me on Heavensward. But it's a weird enough error that I can't guarantee you'd get the same result.

Thank you. I guess you're right, the error is weird enough to make it iffy. I contacted PSN customer service, maybe they can help!