Frequently asked questions about the Steam and ArenaNet accounts.
FAQ: Steam and ArenaNet accounts
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).