Guild Wars 2 – Steam and ArenaNet Accounts FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the Steam and ArenaNet accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 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

Can I link my ArenaNet-GW2 account with my Steam account?

• No. ArenaNet does not offer linking of accounts as of this post.

Can I use my ArenaNet-GW2 account via Steam?

• Yes, you can.

How can I login my ArenaNet-GW2 account via Steam?

• Go to the Guild Wars 2 launcher settings in Steam and add: -provider:Portal

Can I buy Guild Wars 2 DLC in Steam and use it in my ArenaNet-GW2 account?

• No. Anything you buy in Steam for Guild Wars 2 will be associated with your Steam account.

Does it mean I still need to buy expansions outside of Steam?

• Yes. Either through guildwars2.com (official website), or your local store that officially resells the game.

Do I have to re-download the game via Steam?

• No, you don’t have to. Here’s a quick guide:

1. Find Guild Wars 2 in the Steam store.
2. Install Guild Wars 2.
3. 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.
4. Also shutdown the Steam client.
5. Find your ArenaNet Guild Wars 2 installation folder.
6. Copy the gw2.dat file.
7. Find the Steam Guild Wars 2 installation folder.
8. Paste the gw2.dat file.
9. Launch Steam.
10. Launch Steam-GW2.

Are the Guild Wars 2 via Steam and via ArenaNet in separate servers?

• No. They are the same servers.

How sure are you that your answers are correct?

• 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).