Free trial and transfer question

[Peanuts]

Alright I'm sure there are a lot of people who asked this, I found answers, but some of them contradicts and what I saw from SE's website is different too, which is why I'm confused.

So basically I have free trial on SE and played for a month, I want to continue playing my free trial on steam (I heard its impossible?) is that true? That's my first question.

Second would be, then if I purchase the full game, can I then transfer it over? Do I need to purchase the game on both platform? or its just impossible between platforms no matter what?

Third question assuming both above are true, I saw people saying Xbox, PS4/5, Windows, Steam versions are all separate and free trials can't be transferred between platforms. But my free trial account on SE does have a page that shows 'Please select the platform to which you wish to transfer.' and allows me to select Windows, Mac, Playstation, Xbox. ONLY steam is grayed out. Anyone can enlighten me?

[Duranu Lithdel]

Originally posted by Peanuts:

but my free trial account on SE does have a page that shows 'Please select the platform to which you wish to transfer.' and allows me to select Windows, Mac, Playstation, Xbox. ONLY steam is grayed out

There's your answer, you are unable to use your Windows Free Trial Account with the Steam Version of the game, it doesn't get anymore clear than what Mogstation will let you do, or in this case, won't let you do

If you want to use the free trial account on steam you will have to start over and make a new account using the Steam version

What is the difference between the Steam and Windows PC versions of FINAL FANTASY XIV?[support.na.square-enix.com]
Steam appears to be breaking the link somehow so either Google the Text, or, copy and paste this url into your internet browser:
https://support.na.square-enix.com/faqarticle.php?id=5382&la=1&kid=69853&ret=main

[Shakja]

You can download the free trial from steam or any other platform and just log in via your existing account. BUT, once you buy the game on either steam or mogstation, you're locked in, meaning, you will only either be able to log in via steam OR the official SE client unless you buy a new copy of the game on the other account (you get the "free month" again as far as I know). Same goes for console versions.

[Duranu Lithdel]

Originally posted by Havok:

2a. [. . .] You can only transfer windows free trial to [. . .] steam full [. . .]

They just very clearly said Mogstation will not allow them to do this, it doesn't matter what you think they can do when Mogstation tells them no, if mogstation isnt going to let them do it then they can't do it

Originally posted by Peanuts:

but my free trial account on SE does have a page that shows 'Please select the platform to which you wish to transfer.' and allows me to select Windows, Mac, Playstation, Xbox. ONLY steam is grayed out

[Topper mcnabb]

Windows version, the one which you purchase anywhere outside steam is incompatible with Steam version, if you register one the other grays out forever.
There is no way to migrate stuff between windows and steam versions, if you wanna use the Steam version you need a new account.

For the other platforms you can play them with the same account and char, lets say you have this windows version, if you buy a ps5 key, you will be able to use your chars in both, or a MAC key. Its just Win and Steam that are mutually exclusive.

[weiss]

Originally posted by Duranu Lithdel:

Originally posted by Havok:

2a. [. . .] You can only transfer windows free trial to [. . .] steam full [. . .]

They just very clearly said Mogstation will not allow them to do this, it doesn't matter what you think they can do when Mogstation tells them no, if mogstation isnt going to let them do it then they can't do it

Originally posted by Peanuts:

but my free trial account on SE does have a page that shows 'Please select the platform to which you wish to transfer.' and allows me to select Windows, Mac, Playstation, Xbox. ONLY steam is grayed out

which is odd.
backthen was my trial an SE page trial aswell, i didnt started my trial here on steam.
when i asked the support (aka not here in the forum) replied the support with "you can freely choose your plattform, even steam if you wish. just keep in mind that once you choosen are you bound to the plattform"

so, i bought the steam version and it worked, when i entered the FF14 steam starter edition into the mogstation told me the mogstation aswell in a red text that, "if you proceed with this version are you bound to this plattform (steam)". after agreeing to it sended me the mogstation to the steam page and asked me to login with my steam account and verifying the link between the SE and steam account.

afterwards turned my FF14 account from trial into standard (steam).

TL;DR: it should be possible, tho. it could be that they changed it now? since OP says they cant choose steam? maybe it caused too much trouble in the past, iunno.

fact is; my trial was not a steam trial o..o.

[Sunny]

Originally posted by Havok:

People have transferred from Windows Free Trial to Steam, its the only time you can do it. Dont get so defensive about it.

Could you find and share directions on how to do it, please? I haven't been able to; only finding info that it's not possible.

If it is possible, I imagine it's got to be really frustrating for somebody trying to do it to hear 'yes you can', but nobody saying it's possible are saying how to do it and everything you're finding says 'no'.

[weiss]

Originally posted by Sunny:

Originally posted by Havok:

People have transferred from Windows Free Trial to Steam, its the only time you can do it. Dont get so defensive about it.

Could you find and share directions on how to do it, please? I haven't been able to; only finding info that it's not possible.

If it is possible, I imagine it's got to be really frustrating for somebody trying to do it to hear 'yes you can', but nobody saying it's possible are saying how to do it and everything you're finding says 'no'.

it was possible, like i wrote. my trial was not a steam trial and i was able to link my trial to steam.

it could be that they changed it now.
backthen called it slaanesh as "you was just lucky then". because he aswell wrote "it isnt possible" but ... i literarly did. so did a bunch of my friends aswell aka going from non-steam trial to steam.

tho, this was all before they introduced the security update they´ve done in march 2022 was it i think.

edit: best for OP is just asking the support like i did backthen too.
if they say now that it is not longer possible then ... well. they changed it =x.

[Duranu Lithdel]

Originally posted by Havok:

Originally posted by Sunny:

Could you find and share directions on how to do it, please? I haven't been able to; only finding info that it's not possible.

If it is possible, I imagine it's got to be really frustrating for somebody trying to do it to hear 'yes you can', but nobody saying it's possible are saying how to do it and everything you're finding says 'no'.

Originally posted by weiss:

backthen was my trial an SE page trial aswell, i didnt started my trial here on steam.

Did they change it, we dont know. Probably. Im just basing off of what I HAVE HEARD IN THE PAST.

WILL IT WORK NOW? APPARENTLY NOT.

Sue me.

You must not have been looking hard, because first search on google...

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/iopt1n/comment/g4h1dhh/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Oh hey, another one, 4th google link

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/386608

Oh look, another one, 5th google link

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/498282-Can-steam-free-trial-turn-PC-version-instead?p=6458518

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comments/zoyd4j/ffxiv_steam_windowsversion_possible_to_convert_my/

1. You can not swap from Steam to Windows or vice versa EXCEPT if you are currently on the Standalone Windows Free Trial.

2. If you are upgrading from the free trial you can swap to a different platform. However you are locked into that once once you buy it.

3. You can go from non-Steam Trial to Steam retail. But once you make that change, there's no going back.

(You couldn't go from Steam Trial to non-Steam retail, however.)

4. Yes. It is possible. You have to buy everything via Steam and get the product ID(s) there. And so, register at Mog Station with the product code given on Steam and you're done.

I done my register that way, since I downloaded the client first on S-E site and bought it via Steam. And I kept the char I played on trial.

5.
You can. You buy the steam version, download the steam launcher, apply your code on Mogstation and you're good to go.

Once you do, you will need to buy every future expansion from steam. You also will not be able to easily play when steam servers are done. It's uncommon but does happen.

Generally steam has less sales than other platforms. If you plan to buy on launch, it's not a big deal but something to think about. I play on steam. It's fine. I probably wouldn't have done it if I could choose again. More freedom is nice.

How hard were you looking Sunny, because 5 minutes of google searches says you COULD AT ONE POINT.

Imagine coming this unhinged after someone made a simple request for help on how you did it when they were having troubles with google, they even said please.

It's understandable though, How dare they not be as tech savvy as you with your googling wizard ways, you had every right to come at them in the way that you did, they should have known better than to think they could ask you for help /s

[Peanuts]

Originally posted by Shakja:

You can download the free trial from steam or any other platform and just log in via your existing account. BUT, once you buy the game on either steam or mogstation, you're locked in, meaning, you will only either be able to log in via steam OR the official SE client unless you buy a new copy of the game on the other account (you get the "free month" again as far as I know). Same goes for console versions.

This is what I hope was the case, because currently I'm on free trial with SE.

Based on what you're saying, I should be able to login via my existing account and play free trial on any of the platforms, and whichever platform I purchase on will be the final place I should be able to play the full game on. Which is not the case for me right now.

[Shakja]

Originally posted by Peanuts:

Originally posted by Shakja:

You can download the free trial from steam or any other platform and just log in via your existing account. BUT, once you buy the game on either steam or mogstation, you're locked in, meaning, you will only either be able to log in via steam OR the official SE client unless you buy a new copy of the game on the other account (you get the "free month" again as far as I know). Same goes for console versions.

This is what I hope was the case, because currently I'm on free trial with SE.

Based on what you're saying, I should be able to login via my existing account and play free trial on any of the platforms, and whichever platform I purchase on will be the final place I should be able to play the full game on. Which is not the case for me right now.

Seriously? Then they changed that at some point. I know it was possible in the past

[Sunny]

what the whole duck? Yes, I was finding that it was no longer possible. folks were saying it was, and I couldn't find directions that supposedly worked, so I was asking. I was not trying to be rude or anything -- somebody said it was possible, I couldn't find the info, so I wanted to know how.

I was absolutely not contesting that it used to be possible. I was asking for directions on how it was currently possible, because the directions that are in those links don't work.

[Shakja]

Originally posted by Sunny:

what the whole duck? Yes, I was finding that it was no longer possible. folks were saying it was, and I couldn't find directions that supposedly worked, so I was asking. I was not trying to be rude or anything -- somebody said it was possible, I couldn't find the info, so I wanted to know how.

Understandable and it sucks that it's no longer possible. Though, not gonna lie, from what I heard, the mogstation version tends to have less problems than the steam launcher, because you got problems here every time steam has issues or SE has issues. Via mogstation you only have to deal with the SE issues... but I guess it's a payment thing?

[Slaanesh]

How often does it have to be said, if you could use something called a SEARCH FUNCTION in the discussion board.

It is NOT possible to change from steam to windows and NOT POSSIBLE to change from windows to steam.

Oh look a few LUCKY ones got it to work, all others are here crying that they can not use their account anymore and have to start anew because they can not use the account anymore

[Duranu Lithdel]

Originally posted by Peanuts:

whichever platform I purchase on will be the final place I should be able to play the full game on.

I don't know if Steam is going to break this link like it breaks the other one, but that is partially correct, the only platforms you get locked out from are Windows or Steam.

You can Use the same account to play on, Playstation, Xbox, Mac, and Windows (assuming you have a license/copy of the game and expansions on each platform)
Or, you can use the same account to play on Playstation, Xbox, Mac, and Steam
https://support.na.square-enix.com/faqarticle.php?id=5382&la=1&kid=67233

But yes, if you were to purchase the game on Playstation for example, then the only place you would have access to play the game would be Playstation until you added a license to your service account for Xbox (for example), then you would be able to use the same account on either platform assuming you had a copy of the game&expansions for each device (Xbox and Playstation)

The only platforms that lock each other out is Windows and Steam

---

Shakja is saying that if you have downloaded the Steam free trial version, and the Steam free trial version/client will not let you login using your Windows FT Client account then that is that and you are SoL because your Windows Free Trial account was locked to windows meaning if you wanted to continue the game you would have to purchase SE Store Codes for the game when you complete the current Free trial content which goes to level 70 now and includes Stormblood

---

If the Steam Trial will not let you login and you are dead set on wanting to play it on steam then you have two options

You can either make an entirely new Mogstation login account with a different email address and username, etc, Or you can make a new service account under your existing Mogstation account.

When you login to Mogstation, instead of clicking "Use this service account" on Tab 1 that displays your Free trial character, you would click Tab 2, and click "use this service account" to create a new service account, which should then allow you to Login to the Steam Free Trial and would use Service Account 2, instead of Service Account 1 since Service Account 1 would be locked to Windows, Yet Service Account 2 should be unrestricted

Either way, You would not be able to use your Service account 1 character on Steam no matter if you went the Service Account 2 route, or Made an entirely new Mogstation account with a different email address and user name

To avoid potential issues in the future, it would be recommended to make an Entirely new Mogstation account instead of making a New Service Account #2 under your current Mogstation account

---

TL;DR If you are attached to your current free trial character and the Steam FT client will not let you login using your Windows FT account, you are SoL and will just have to keep playing the game with the Windows account and client as well as purchase the game/expansions through the SE store in the future.

Yet, you can/could still add licenses for Playstation, Xbox, or Mac, if you wanted to play on those platforms using the same account, which would let you play on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, and/or Mac (assuming you had a license for each platform you wanted to play on)

If you do not care about your character or starting over, just make an entirely new Mogstation account using a different email address and user name using the create account button on the Steam Free Trial Client, this would allow you to play the game on Steam, Playstation, Xbox, and/or Mac, if you had a license for each of the platforms you wanted to play on using the same account

Windows and Steam cannot be on the same service account

[Peanuts]

Originally posted by Slaanesh:

How often does it have to be said, if you could use something called a SEARCH FUNCTION in the discussion board.

It is NOT possible to change from steam to windows and NOT POSSIBLE to change from windows to steam.

Oh look a few LUCKY ones got it to work, all others are here crying that they can not use their account anymore and have to start anew because they can not use the account anymore

calm down, if you did read what I wrote word for word, you would understand why I'm addressing my concerns. I'm not trying to be lucky and hope I can miraculously get it to work like 1% of the people.

I just needed to know how things works right now, because I have seen at least 3 or 4 different situations, and evidently if you read the comments above, there are multiple people with different experience as well.