Is playing FFXIV on Linux against ToS?

[Tyzi]

Have had a look around and have not seen any concrete information, and thought I'd ask this question here now with everything happening regarding mods/third party add ons.

Is it against ToS to play on Linux using the official launcher, or through Steam?

[hagare]

wouldn't posting this in technical support be better?
or support center ticket?
I mean, SE does have the final say no matter what the community has to say about it

[Packetdancer]

By a technical read of the TOS, potentially. I doubt they would ever enforce it, as the way you run it under Linux (e.g. using WINE or some variant) is the same way the actual official macOS version runs (using Crossover, a gaming-focused version of WINE that runs on macOS).

Obviously it doesn't count as a "third party tool" when Crossover is bundled with the actual mac version, but still. Considering the game is available through Steam, I'm assuming they don't count Steam (even with overlays and controller remapping) as a "third party tool" for these purposes; given that Steam can also run the game on Linux via Proton (another gaming-focused version of WINE), it seems real dang unlikely they're going to raise a fuss about anyone doing that.

I mean, I doubt they're going to outright say "yes this is okay" because someone'll try to find a loophole there to, I dunno, make a modified version of WINE that allows them to cheat in some fashion. I just would be shocked if SQEX enforced TOS against someone running the game under WINE, everything considered.

So, I mean... do so at your own risk, obviously. But personally, I would not assess that risk as being a terribly high one.

[RitsukoSonoda]

I'd say it probably comes down to the method used to run it on Linux. If it was just a steam install that didn't require secondary installation or copy/pasting of files afterwards to run then it shouldn't be an issue other than most likely not getting support if you run into technical problems since SE doesn't support the OS.

[Larirawiel]

wouldn't posting this in technical support be better?
or support center ticket?
I mean, SE does have the final say no matter what the community has to say about it

You will usually not getting an answer for that question from SQEX officials.


Cheers

[Johners]

Snip for characters

The key difference between the official macOS client and running the Windows client via WINE/Proton is that only one needs a third party launcher.

On Windows, the launcher uses a proprietary Microsoft standard that doesn't work in WINE/Proton so you have to setup a version of XIVLauncher in order to actually play the game. If we run that against the word-for-word terms of service, it's a third party tool and breaks the terms of service to do so. If SE ever change the launcher so it runs fine in stock WINE/Proton, there's nothing else that suggests you'd be breaking the ToS, you'd just receive no customer support as they don't officially support this use case.

On macOS, Square Enix ship the game with a CrossOver compatibility layer that works with default launcher. This doesn't break the terms of service because no additional third party tools are being used but rather it's a custom and officially supported compatibility layer.

[hagare]

You will usually not getting an answer for that question from SQEX officials.


Cheers

right...
because Linux isn't supported

[Xlantaa]

I think run the game under linux will not cause a ban, since Proton is shipped with Steam, and the Steam deck allows to play games that are not supported on linux, and no one was banned or whaetever. The only issue was games that required anticheat. If for some reason the anticheat doesn't run with the game you are auto-banned. But I think Valve work to fix that issue.

In the case of FFXIV is a bit different. Clean FFXIV installation should not have any issue, even Gabe Newell was playing it on steam deck. However, the official launcher doesn't work anymore on linux, so, in order to play FFXIV on linux you either need the old launcher which is no longer supported, or the unofficial FFXIVLauncher, which, well, it is a third party tool. This one is the one that can be a problem. As far I know no one was banned for use it, but I won't trust it 100% just in case.

[Risvertasashi]

The TOS is worded broadly enough that, if SE is really motivated, they can pick and choose any number of reasons to ban you. They could attribute it to the compatibility layer you use to run the game or any number of other things.

I really doubt SE would ever do that, however. Just as SE "could" ban you for using FF14 with third party apps like OBS or Discord but that would be mental. What they're focusing on right now are mods and tools visible in videos and streams, and from the lodestone post, they're considering taking more aggressive action against dataminers.

So, you should be safe. But no one's really safe if SE decides they want to go after them - Not only did they write the TOS, they get to interpret it as well. But I can't imagine why SE would go after anyone running FF14 on Linux or the Steam Deck or similar.

[Chawan]

Well if they have issue with it they could always give us linux users a native version ! Here’s hoping for future native ffxiv on linux.