Mac can't launch the game (Catalina)

[riaaa427]

I just bought the game 1 month ago, and there was no problem in the first 2 weeks. However, one night my Mac updated to Catalina and I can no longer play the game ( it stuck at black screen ) . I have searched and find that many people have the same issue, but SE has never fixed it.

I contacted SE support 6 days ago, and they finally replied. However, my subscription is already over, I cant even download the game to test if the "solutions" work or not. And I asked them if it is possible to just transport my account to Windows(So I can play it on bootcamp), and they told me to pay $60USD to buy the game again.

This is the most frustrating experience .

[riaaa427]

So there are a few options
1. pay $15 monthly subscription to gamble if I can solve the problem
2. pay $60 for the game I already have
3. simply quit the game
to all Mac users, don't buy this game.

[Snugglebap]

What were the solutions?

[riaaa427]

The issue you are describing is most associated with interference with the game data. Most of the time, it results from certain security/privacy changes on Safari. Other times it occurs when an application that is running in the background is causing interference, such as Anti-virus software, firewalls, media players, web browsers, etc.

Please make sure all background applications (including anti-virus programs such as Norton, Kaspersky, etc.) have been disabled and/or closed to minimize game interference.

Ensure that the latest version of Safari is installed on your Mac (even if you don't use Safari). Once Safari is up-to-date, please open the Safari browser and make sure that all Browser History and Cookies/Web Data have been deleted. Please also make sure that "Cookies" are accepted and not being filtered.

Once these options have been adjusted, please run the Apple Update program to check that all firmware is up-to-date on your Mac OS. Once this process is complete, please re-launch the FINAL FANTASY XIV application.

If the suggestions provided above do not resolve the issue, then there is a communication error.
Check the following Port Ranges on your router/modem to ensure that the following Port Ranges have been opened/forwarded/triggered:
▼TCP
54992 through 54994,
55006 through 55007,
55021 through 55040

*You may learn how to do this by visiting http://www.portforward.com/
Find your specific router's brand and model number from the 'List of Routers' and you will be provided a step-by-step guide on how to access these port settings.
Otherwise, your ISP may forward these ports for you.*

If you have properly configured your router, and you are still experiencing these issues, our next suggestion is to bypass the router, and connect your computer directly to your modem. Please ensure that you power down both the modem and the computer for at least five minutes before attempting to connect to FINAL FANTASY XIV.

If you continue to receive these same errors when you are connected directly to the modem, then the problem lies with your ISP. We would recommend contacting your provider and advising them that one or more of the ports previously provided to you are being blocked or filtered, and that you do need access on these ports.

Regarding playing the game on Windows, unfortunately, we are unable to transfer a Mac entitlement to a Windows entitlement. If you want to play on Windows, you would need to purchase a Windows version of the game.

[Avenger]

Do you have a machine with intel integrated graphics (e.g. a MacBook or MacBook Pro 13")?

You might check out the other threads regarding FFXIV not working on macOS Catalina with intel integrated graphics, such as:

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...e-black-screen

I haven't seen any updates since then.

It appears that people who had 13" MacBook Pro machines with intel integrated graphics ended up with a black screen on Catalina.

If you have a discrete GPU (e.g. Nvidia or AMD), then you may be able to simply reset your FFXIV graphics settings; that fixed the black screen for me and with low graphics settings the game has been surprisingly playable (though still probably 50% of the frame rate you could get under boot camp!) I haven't actually bothered to install Shadowbringers in Boot Camp (yet at least.)

If resetting graphics options for FFXIV doesn't work and/or if you have intel iris graphics, the options may not be that great:

• Install Mojave an an external drive (or another partition) and boot into Mojave to run FFXIV. (Mojave is free at least.)
• Buy the Windows FFXIV client, and a Windows 10 product key, and run FFXIV Boot Camp.
• Buy the Windows FFXIV client and run FFXIV under Wine on Linux (does this even work?)
• Try using an eGPU (this might not work either - I remember reading about issues like a disappearing cursor?)

[Avenger]

I asked them if it is possible to just transport my account to Windows(So I can play it on bootcamp), and they told me to pay $60USD to buy the game again.

This is the most frustrating experience .

Yep, it is a bummer. I really wish they would unlock the game and expansions on *all* platforms with a subscription (I think that's how other games like WoW work, and it's actually the way FFXI worked when it was multi-platform) but alas that is not the way FFXIV works for now.

If the game stopped working after 2 weeks, it seems that you are owed a refund.

If you bought the game with a credit card, your card may have purchase protection or a warranty; even if it doesn't, sometimes if you call them up and explain the issue they can help you with getting a refund.

When the macOS version originally came out, it was basically unplayable - I was getting 5-15 FPS. SE actually offered refunds to everyone who had bought it, but I didn't collect it and ended up playing on PS4 and Windows/Boot Camp anyway. Eventually they fixed the macOS client to make it playable.

I think FFXIV was actually on sale for 40% off until last week I think. That's another option - wait until it goes on sale and buy the Windows version. I think it was 50% off in the last holiday sale also.

[zaveryives]

I just bought a new Mac Mini and wish I would have read this first. It's not launching when I hit PLAY. All I get is a black screen that throttles up my CPU for 5-10 seconds and then just sits there. No audio nothing. Just a black screen. I have to Force Quit it every time. I have tried restarting. I have tried re-installing. I have tried using previous settings. Nothing. It runs fine on my Laptop which has Mojave but my laptop can't handle playing and streaming at the same time.

[zaveryives]

Okay I can confirm that adding an eGPU solved the problem for me. My MacMini has integrated graphics and despite trying all the options and troubleshooting steps they gave me FFXIV Online will not run.

I bought a PowerColor Mini Pro RX570 8GB eGPU and it arrived today. The first thing I opened was FFXIV (nothing else running) and it started up just fine.

They cost just under $500 on Amazon WHICH IS STILL $500 TO MUCH THE GAME SHOULD WORK WIHOUT ME HAVING TO BUY ADDITIONAL HARDWARE!!!