Square Enix says it will begin suspending Final Fantasy 14 accounts that have redeemed game codes obtained fraudulently. Those affected redeemers will need to pay the retail value of those codes to regain access, and reduce illegal sales of codes obtained from official retailers using stolen payment details.
The developer flagged the issue as an uptick in redemptions of codes that were “obtained fraudulently,” and noted these include registration codes for the Windows/Mac Starter Edition, Complete Edition, and the Dawntrail expansion. FF14 has seen renewed interest following patch 7.35, and newcomers often look for the best deals when returning to a big MMO like this.
The statement explains that many of these discounted keys are bought on third‑party sites after being illegally taken from retailers via stolen credit card details or other compromised data. If a code is invalidated before redemption, Square Enix said it would prevent access; however, where codes have already been redeemed, the company previously gave redeemers the benefit of the doubt. The policy is being updated to include suspensions aimed at reducing demand for illegally obtained keys.
We have been monitoring an increase in the redemption of FINAL FANTASY XIV game codes which were obtained fraudulently. These game codes include registration codes for the Windows/Mac version of the Starter Edition, Complete Edition, and the Dawntrail expansion.
Many of these game codes have been illegally obtained from official retailers, typically using stolen credit cards or other compromised data, and are then sold at a discount on third-party sites. Until now, when we determined that a game code was obtained fraudulently we would invalidate it before it could be used. However, if the game code was already redeemed, we would give the benefit of the doubt that the user did not know it was fraudulently obtained and would not penalize the account.
While the fraudulent transaction may not have been made by the person who redeemed the game code, purchasing game codes from unlicensed sites supports and perpetuates these illegal activities. To reduce these illegal transactions, we will begin suspending accounts that have redeemed fraudulently obtained FINAL FANTASY XIV game codes.
If you believe your account has been suspended due to the redemption of a FINAL FANTASY XIV game code, please contact the Support Center (https://sqex.to/FFXIVsupport) to regain access to the account. As part of regaining account access, the redeemer of the fraudulently obtained game code will need to pay Square Enix the retail value of the game code as well as the outstanding retail values of any additional fraudulent redemptions or purchases.
To ensure that you purchase legitimate FINAL FANTASY XIV game codes, we recommend only buying from your local game retailer or official online retailers.
Retailers selling FINAL FANTASY XIV Game Codes for American FFXIV accounts:
– Square Enix Store (Americas)
– GameStop
– Green Man Gaming
– Humble Bundle
– Newegg
– SteamRetailers selling FINAL FANTASY XIV Game Codes for European FFXIV accounts:
– Square Enix Store (Europe)
– Green Man Gaming
– Humble Bundle
– SteamWe appreciate your assistance and understanding as we work to counter fraudulent activities.
The developer asks anyone affected to contact the support center to regain account access. As part of this process, redeemers will be required to pay Square Enix the retail value of the fraudulently obtained game code, as well as the outstanding retail values of any other fraudulent redemptions or purchases associated with the account. The company also recommends buying codes only from official retailers; the developer lists several trusted sellers, including the Square Enix store, Steam, Humble Bundle, and Green Man Gaming.
This is not the first time Square Enix has acted on illicit key sales. Earlier in 2025 it began clamping down on third‑party sales of game‑time codes, a move that aimed to stop the same sort of fraudulent activity for subscription extensions. For practical shoppers: if you want to avoid risk, stick to official stores and well-known digital platforms. If you’ve already purchased a discounted code from an unlicensed marketplace and are concerned, please get in touch with support instead of trying to use the code. Buying from unknown sellers may save money up front, but could cost you access later if the code is traced to fraud.
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