How to fix ‘FFXIV could not connect to Steam’ error

Final Fantasy XIV players who want to enjoy the game on PC have two options to play it. They can buy it through Steam or they can purchase it straight from the Square Enix website. But it turns out one of those options is actually preferable over the other.

Those who have purchased the game on Steam have been having numerous issues getting into the game through the client, while those who have the Windows version have had relatively no connection issues at all. Although Steam is a more preferable platform for many players to keep and organize their games, they’re coming up with an error.

What to do when given the “FFXIV could not connect to Steam” error

Unfortunately, those who have this error have no choice but to wait for Steam to fix itself so they can play the game. The issue comes about when Steam is either conducting some kind of maintenance or there are issues with the service that is disallowing the connection between Final Fantasy XIV and the Steam client.

The issue is apparently most prevalent on Tuesdays, which is when Steam tends to do some behind-the-scenes maintenance that might interrupt players’ ability to get into the game. Some users are still able to get onto the game throughout the time the error is present, and those already in the game don’t seem to have issues, but it is frustrating for many who chose to purchase the game through Steam.

Related: Final Fantasy XIV has a harassment problem, and the in-game tools just aren’t enough to fix it

Those who are looking to start their free trials should consider purchasing the game through the Square Enix website directly to avoid these issues. But unfortunately for those who already own the Steam version of the game, they’ll be at the mercy of Steam’s platform to access the game since once they purchase their account through Steam, they can’t convert it to the Windows version.