FFXIV Does not start with Steam

[⚡Syn[a]⚡]

when I try to start FFXIV with the launcher, it starts but it's just a black screen, and no matter how long I wait nothing happens.
the launcher works, but when I press play, there is only a black screen and nothing else. the mouse works, but when I use it to leave the game window or click, the game doesn't respond and crashes.
I reset the settings and installed the game twice.

Seems like there's some issue with the way this Launcher is using the steam API
and the culprit file is steam_api64.dll

the game only starts correctly if I follow the process I described in the 4 (fourth) message.

Quite a hassle to just play the game...
Does Square Enix not want Steam players to play the game, fixes this annoying bug.

[Ʀลร]

No Idea why it doesn't work, but you can try a few things:
- deactivate any in-game overlays
- uninstall or delete any reshade stuff, they may even exist after you re-installed/uninstalled your game
- uninstall mods


I found this: https://steamcommunity.com/app/39210/discussions/0/3646252110406105307/?l=english

[⚡Syn[a]⚡]

Yes i tried for hours: 7 or so
- reinstalling
- disabling overlays (nvidia / steam)
- reseting settings
- verifiying settings
- OS and drivers are up to date

I deleted everything, including what was left over after an uninstallation.
and have a new hard drive.

simply renaming the .dll doesn't work for me as well.
square enix hasn't been able to fix it for so long.
When I try to play FFXIV without Steam or with the Dll rename, as described in the link.
it tells me that I don't have a subscription. but my subscription is until 29 Aug. 2024

I had to renew my subscription in order to log into my Account/the launcher and install the game. what a waste of money.

[Kitty]

How long have you left it on the black screen after clicking play, and does the mouse cursor turn to a blue ring or stay normal?

There does seem to be an issue with some players after this last update, what you can do is download and install the third-party "ffxiv quick launcher" which has an option for Steam users to login without using the Steam launcher, so you can test it isn't your computer that is the issue, and you can play of course, until its fixed.

[⚡Syn[a]⚡]

isn't that against the TOS?
I don't want to be banned, even if it's Square Enix's fault that it doesn't work, and you have to resort to something like that.

The launcher is the problem, not my PC or the game.
Seems like there's some issue with the way this Launcher is using the steam API

I experimented with all the tips and tricks and eventually it worked, I got the game running, with this.

open the launcher, log in with your account BUT DON'T CLICK TO START THE GAME YET, open your FFXIV installation Boot folder, rename the steam_api64.dll to steam_api64-bak.dll, click the play button, wait for the game to start and rename the .dll again (so that the launcher is working the next time).

Quite a hassle to just play the game...

[Kitty]

What I mean, is if you click Play what happens next, the screen is black, but the mouse cursor should be shown on screen, does it show normally, with a blue circle that rotates (means the app is running and should load after a certain period of time-possibly a few minutes), or not at all. What I would try is load up the game but after pressing Play on the launcher, don't press anything for a few minutes, the game may finally start, as there is an issue with certain configurations that cause issues.

If you see a little blue rotation circle, just wait until it finally loads, it may take a few minutes, don't touch the keyboard or controller until the game starts.

And no, the XIVLauncher from goatcorp (I know) is not going to lead to a ban or suspension, it does not do anything except let you login, unless you want to add plugins, and even then, most do not edit/change/modify the game files, so it is not against the ToS if its doing nothing but logging you in.

I have personally used it with my Steam account to login when I had an issue with the Steam launcher not loading the login box. So I can vouch it is not going to trigger any ban or whatnot, they can't tell if you login with it not, there is no check in place at all.

I wouldn't usually recommend using it until I personally used it and it was helpful and didn't get flagged as unsafe by my firewall software.

Its worth trying it to rule out either your PC configuration, an update, or the Steam official client from being the issue, even just to test to see if you can play fine, but as I say above, its most likely going to fix your issue and you'll want to continue using it until they fix the problem with the Steam client which won't happen until the get enough complaints, and so far its not been addressed and seems to only be gradually spreading, even I have a slight delay after this last update which is annoying, but it at least finally loads the game after a minute or two.

[Kitty]

So I just seemed to have fixed my issue with the game loading up slowly (Black screen for a few minutes at worst), I am using Borderless Windowed mode in the game, and turning on the Windows 11 setting "Optimizations for Windowed games" (it was off) now the game instantly starts after clicking Play on the launcher.
Maybe try changing that setting, in Windows:

Settings > System > Display > Graphics > "Changed default graphics settings" > Optimizations for Windowed games / On or Off

Worth a try.

[Alternity]

Originally posted by Syna:

Yes i tried for hours: 7 or so
- reinstalling
- disabling overlays (nvidia / steam)
- reseting settings
- verifiying settings
- OS and drivers are up to date

I deleted everything, including what was left over after an uninstallation.
and have a new hard drive.

simply renaming the .dll doesn't work for me as well.
square enix hasn't been able to fix it for so long.
When I try to play FFXIV without Steam or with the Dll rename, as described in the link.
it tells me that I don't have a subscription. but my subscription is until 29 Aug. 2024

I had to renew my subscription in order to log into my Account/the launcher and install the game. what a waste of money.

When you say you deleted everything, does that include setting files in My Documents?

Note that these files contains gameplay settings, including hotbars, so you may want to back those up before delting them in case this isn't the problem.

[⚡Syn[a]⚡]

Originally posted by Alternity:

When you say you deleted everything, does that include setting files in My Documents?

Note that these files contains gameplay settings, including hotbars, so you may want to back those up before delting them in case this isn't the problem.

yes all Complete cleaning, before reinstalling on a brand new m2.SSD

-----

Originally posted by Kitty:

try is load up the game but after pressing Play on the launcher, don't press anything for a few minutes, the game may finally start, as there is an issue with certain configurations that cause issues.

yes I already did that, I waited 5 or more minutes.
the longest time I even went out to do things and he still wasn't finished when I came back.
the mouse is normal like the one in the game.

[Krisab]

The only solution I have found that does not involve closing Steam is to do the following.

I have a shortcut to the Boot folder on my desktop.

Before launching the game make sure that the file "steam_api64.dll" (inside the Boot folder) has not been renamed yet. Launch the game and log in as usual. Before pressing the play button rename the file inside the Boot folder to "steam_api64_.dll". Press play :)

[Shadowithin]

The exact same thing happened to me recently. It wouldn't respond no matter what i did. I'm almost positive it's a driver or window update thats affecting it. Have you tired reverting back to a older version? I gave up and bought a new computer myself but I bet thats all it is. lol