Is playing FFXIV on Linux against ToS?

[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.

[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.

[Phidaissi]

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.

This is not true, the use of that third party launcher is absolutely not required to play on Linux as the newer launcher is not actually necessary.

I'm doing it right now. It runs in Proton/Wine and there are working scripts to do it for you published on Lutris, you can look at them and see that the one labelled as using the official version only installs from an official source.

[Vav2021]

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?

I don't know. I'm still trying to figure out if playing it on my Gameboy Advance is going to get me banned.