Odd Multiple Service Accounts question!

[NeverAgain]

First let me clarify by saying I have no need for multiple service accounts. I'm not even sure why I have 2 right now, but I don't plan on playing multiple character simultaneously, so as far as I know, it's pointless for me to have 2.

Here's the everything: I played FFXIV 1.0. I pre-ordered the Digital Collector's Edition of FFXIV:ARR for Windows PC, and did so from the Square Enix site. I punched in my 18-digit serial code, and got my Early Access code. When I tried to activate the Early Access code, it asked which service account I would like to apply it to. These were my two options:

http://imgur.com/J9WODXI

The problem being that I played Open Beta for FFXIV:ARR on the first account, labelled "FFXIV 1." But somehow my purchase of the digital Collector's Edition seems to have attached itself to the account labelled "FFXIV 2." I don't know why or how, I suppose because (apparently) that's what service account FFXIV 1.0 used. I do not know or recall why or how 2 service accounts came to exist, but now my Main character is on a different account than the one my Collector's Edition seems to be associated with.

I don't know what to do. I have not linked my Early Access code to either of them yet, because I don't want to irreparably screw something up.

Does anyone have any insight on this?

I waited in the customer service chat queue for hours only to be told nobody's there to help me once I reached next in line. I will probably call the customer service number, but business hours are over for the day so I'll have to wait until tomorrow, which is pushing it awfully close to the Early Access window Which is why I'm grasping at straws now to see if anyone might be able to help me here.

[NeverAgain]

Oh, and I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but when joining this forum, the list of my characters to choose from was the list of characters from my account "FFXIV 1" which almost seems encouraging...

[Aiyza]

I also noticed when you log into square enix account management then go to select service....final fantasy xiv...it lists two service accounts. I believe one is 1.0 and the other is 2.0. If you click on cancel service (won't cancel the account yet because you have to double confirm) it shows when you activated that account.

[BKPiazza]

I also noticed when you log into square enix account management then go to select service....final fantasy xiv...it lists two service accounts. I believe one is 1.0 and the other is 2.0. If you click on cancel service (won't cancel the account yet because you have to double confirm) it shows when you activated that account.

hmm I only have one service account showing, my 1.0 account and I have 2.0 all registered and ready to go...

[Rhomagus]

I also noticed when you log into square enix account management then go to select service....final fantasy xiv...it lists two service accounts. I believe one is 1.0 and the other is 2.0. If you click on cancel service (won't cancel the account yet because you have to double confirm) it shows when you activated that account.

This happened to a lot of people (including myself) during the shift from beta to early release during 1.0. People accidentally chose to make a new account when release came even though they had inadvertently already created an account when they signed up for beta in 1.0.

It's crazy how many people I personally know have to log into their second account by default because of SE's odd instructions. From what I remember the above seems to be the reason why a lot of people have two accounts in the first place.

[NeverAgain]

I also noticed when you log into square enix account management then go to select service....final fantasy xiv...it lists two service accounts. I believe one is 1.0 and the other is 2.0. If you click on cancel service (won't cancel the account yet because you have to double confirm) it shows when you activated that account.

Ok, so here's where it gets weird, then.... account "FFXIV 1" was added September 3 2010. Account "FFXIV 2" was added Sept 22, 2010. Wtf? Also, sometimes when I click the "cancel" button, it says the account is not registered. I go back, hit refresh, click again, and it has the date. WHUT?!

EDIT!

This happened to a lot of people (including myself) during the shift from beta to early release during 1.0. People accidentally chose to make a new account when release came even though they had inadvertently already created an account when they signed up for beta in 1.0.

It's crazy how many people I personally know have to log into their second account by default because of SE's odd instructions. From what I remember the above seems to be the reason why a lot of people have two accounts in the first place.

Ooooohh, ok well at least that part seems to make some sense...

[Rhomagus]

It seems like you bought the 1.0 Collector's edition as the items for the 2.0 collector's edition are given by default.

Since you can't technically register the 2.0 Collector's edition, your FFXIV account 2 is your old 1.0 Collector's edition account.

The only characters that show up to be used on the new forums are the ones you have specifically created for ARR. I have 10 characters ready to be made for release but I've only actually created 2. The only characters I could choose from when signing in for the first time for the new forums were the two I had made for beta phase 4.

[NeverAgain]

It seems like you bought the 1.0 Collector's edition as the items for the 2.0 collector's edition are given by default.

Since you can't technically register the 2.0 Collector's edition, your FFXIV account 2 is your old 1.0 Collector's edition account.

The only characters that show up to be used on the new forums are the ones you have specifically created for ARR. I have 10 characters ready to be made for release but I've only actually created 2. The only characters I could choose from when signing if for the first time for the new forums were the two I had made for phase for beta.

"FFXIV 2" definitely has the old 1.0 Collector's Edition stuff, BUT it also says "FFXIV: A Realm Reborn Collector's Edition" on it. Like my new one is already tied to that account without me ever doing so.

Good to know about the forum characters, thank you.

[NeverAgain]

Ok, here's what I am gathering so far:

I created basically a dead dummy account, known as "FFXIV 1", during beta of FFXIV 1.0, and never really used it. Once release of 1.0 came about, I made the account now known as "FFXIV 2" and used it for my collector's edition of 1.0, my characters, etc. FFXIV:ARR open beta starts, I create my main character on the account "FFXIV 1" not realizing the complications this would create... Upon punching in the 18-digit serial number for FFXIV:ARR, SE automatically associated it to "FFXIV 2" because that had the FFXIV 1.0 data on it? Even though I had beta characters on "FFXIV 2."

So basically I'm gonna have to abandoned my "FFXIV 1" characters that I already dumped hours of playtime into, added friend to my friends list, etc etc... and start over on my "FFXIV 2" account... because neither I nor SE can seem to get our shit together... lol. UGH

There's no way to transfer character data between accounts, I imagine...

[Rhomagus]

...Upon punching in the 18-digit serial number for FFXIV:ARR, SE automatically associated it to "FFXIV 2" because that had the FFXIV 1.0 data on it? Even though I had beta characters on "FFXIV 2."

So basically I'm gonna have to abandoned my "FFXIV 1" characters that I already dumped hours of playtime into, added friend to my friends list, etc etc... and start over on my "FFXIV 2" account... because neither I nor SE can seem to get our shit together... lol. UGH

There's no way to transfer character data between accounts, I imagine...

I don't think the SE system recognizes the old 1.0 Collector's Edition separately from 2.0 Collector's Edition.

i.e. it sees that you have a "Collector's Edition" account and chooses to call it "A Realm Reborn - Collector's Edition" even though you couldn't have tied any ARR Collector's Edition information to it.

If you don't mind losing your Onion Helm and any 1.0 character progress just apply your pre-order code to Final Fantasy XIV 1.

If you want to keep your Open Beta progress and your Open Beta Friends list apply your pre-order code to Final Fantasy XIV 1 and when you get your ARR registration code, apply all of its benefits to Final Fantasy XIV 1.