Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2

Not enough ratings
FAQ: Steam and ArenaNet accounts
By gameshogun
Frequently asked questions about the Steam and ArenaNet accounts.
   
Award
Favorite
Favorited
Unfavorite
Intro
Here are the frequently asked questions about the Steam and ArenaNet accounts for Guild Wars 2.
Legend
First things first.

* Steam-GW2. It refers to a GW2 account created through Steam.
* ArenaNet-GW2 / ANet-GW2. It refers to a GW2 account created through guildwars2.com (official website).
* Steam Guild Wars 2 installation folder. It refers to the folder where Steam installed Guild Wars 2.
* ArenaNet or ANet Guild Wars 2 installation folder. It refers to the folder where you installed Guild Wars 2 (non-Steam).

That clarified, let's begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q-01: Can I link my ArenaNet-GW2 account with my Steam account?
A-01: NO. ArenaNet does not offer linking of accounts as of this post.

Q-02: Can I use my ArenaNet-GW2 account via Steam?
A-02: Yes, you can.

Q-03: How can I login my ArenaNet-GW2 account via Steam?
A-03: Go to the Guild Wars 2 launcher settings in Steam and add: -provider:Portal

Q-04: Can I buy Guild Wars 2 DLC in Steam and use it in my ArenaNet-GW2 account?
A-04: No. Anything you buy in Steam for Guild Wars 2 will be associated with your Steam account.

Q-05: Does it mean I still need to buy expansions outside of Steam?
A-05: Yes. Either through guildwars2.com (official website), or your local store that officially resells the game.

Q-06: Do I have to re-download the game via Steam?
A-06: No, you don't have to. Here's a quick guide:

  • Find Guild Wars 2 in the Steam store
  • Install Guild Wars 2
  • Once the Guild Wars 2 client with the "PLAY" button at the lower-right corner appears, let it download a few megabytes and then shut the client down.
  • Also shutdown the Steam client
  • Find your ArenaNet Guild Wars 2 installation folder
  • Copy the gw2.dat file
  • Find the Steam Guild Wars 2 installation folder
  • Paste the gw2.dat file
  • Launch Steam
  • Launch Steam-GW2

Q-07: Are the Guild Wars 2 via Steam and via ArenaNet in separate servers?
A-07: No. They are the same servers.

Q-08: How sure are you that your answers are correct?
A-08: Because this is my setup.

  • I use my ArenaNet-GW2 account (since beta) via the official Guild Wars 2 Steam (NOT the "add a non-Steam game" option).
  • I copied my gw2.dat file from the ArenaNet Guild Wars 2 installation folder into the Steam Guild Wars 2 folder.

So, yes, it works.

Tested in both Windows 10 and Linux (Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS).
Closing
See you in the game!

~ ♾️ 스노 (雪亮 Yuki) 🐬 (YourOnlyOne.4937)
3 Comments
Mahthe End 28 Feb @ 8:07am 
Sorry, I didn't understand something, I downloaded the game from steam and just started to play and every time I click on "Edit account" from the game launcher to see what's up in the website, a white blank page shows up.
So that means there is no such a thing as link steam with website, right?
And also is there even any point to try sign up in Arena net? cause where I live, I can only purchase dlcs with steam wallet.
Shadow 4 Jan, 2024 @ 4:10am 
Good guide. These days so many people falling for the trap of using the launcher parameter and expecting their DLCs bought through Steam to go to their Arenanet account. :steamfacepalm:
Gnome1614 15 Mar, 2023 @ 9:48am 
i was looking all over for the first question, thank you!