Guild Wars 2 Steam Account Migration: Can You Transfer Your Account To Steam?
Wanting to try out the new Guild Wars 2 Steam release? Check out this guide for all your Guild Wars 2 Steam account migration questions, including whether you can transfer your account to Steam or not.
Lots of existing players are running into trouble with the Guild Wars 2 Steam account migration process, leading to frustration with the game's recent release on the Valve platform. Guild Wars 2 has historically operated on through its own launcher and website, but the Steam launch of the game ten years after the initial release has prompted many players to pick the game up again. So, if you're confused about the Guild Wars 2 Steam account migration process, and wondering if you can transfer your existing account over to the Steam version of the game, make sure to carry on reading.
Can You Use Your Existing Guild Wars 2 Account On Steam?
Unfortunately, there is no way to use your existing Guild Wars 2 account with the Steam version of the game, as it is exclusively reserved for new players to the game. According to ArenaNet, you will have to start a completely new account and start from the beginning if you want to play the game on Steam.
Furthermore, the same is true in reverse, where players who have started on Steam cannot transfer their progress to the website-based version of the game. As an extension of this, any gem codes or Guild Wars 2 serial codes cannot be redeemed on Steam versions of the game, and any expansions must be directly purchased from Steam.
However, there is a way you can use your existing Guild Wars 2 account on Steam, if you're wanting features like time-tracking, and a cohesive library.
Adding A Non-Steam Game To Your Library
One thing that you can do if you really want to have your Guild Wars 2 account on Steam is to add a non-Steam game to your library. This is easily done, as all you need is an executable file and you should be ready to go, just follow our step-by-step guide below:
- Click on the 'Games' options tab at the top of your Steam window
- Hit 'Add a non-Steam game to My Library', which should bring up a separate, smaller window
- Browse through the list of recognised .exe files to find your Guild Wars 2 executable, or hit the 'Browse' button to find it yourself
- Tick the checkbox next to the desired executable and click on 'Add Selected Programs'
- Guild Wars 2 should be in your Steam library now, with the ability to use your pre-existing account
When added, it will be directly under the name of the file/shortcut you have chosen, so if you want to name it something different, all you need to do is right-click, head to Properties, and then change the name at the top. You can also change the icon if you wish to, by clicking on the picture next to where you change the name.
Through this, you can launch the game through your Steam library, making it a lot easier if you are prone to forgetting about games outside of the Valve network.
You should be able to use the Steam overlay, and you can somewhat track your playtime. Unfortunately, you are unable to see your overall playtime on Steam, as that is linked to Steamworks and Steam AppID, but you can see your individual session playtimes in the overlay.
Guild Wars 2 Steam Welcome Pack Information
There is, however, a benefit to starting a new Guild Wars 2 account on Steam however, if you haven't played in a while and want a fresh start in the world of Tyria. The Guild Wars 2 Steam Welcome Pack will give you a selection of items valued at 2,200 gems, which includes the following:
- Two Bag Slot Expansions
- Two 20 Slot Black Lion Satchels
- Five Experience Boosters
- Five Account-Bound Unidentified Dyes
This gives you a bit of a boost at the start as compensation for having to start over, or a means of catching up slightly if you're completely new to the game. While not the same as transferring your existing account over, it is better than starting fully from scratch.
If you have never given Guild Wars 2 a chance though, now is a better time than ever before, especially as you won't have to go through the hassle of starting a new character. That should be all there is to know about Guild Wars 2 Steam account migration though, giving you a couple of ways to play the decade-old game on the Valve platform.
About The Author
Harry Boulton
Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.
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