With the release of patch 6.18 on July 5, 2022, Cross Data Center Travel was finally added to the game. The feature allows players to play with friends and strangers across Data Centers boundaries. Below we’ve detailed how exactly you can travel between Data Centers in FFXIV.
How to travel between Data Centers in FFXIV
Unlike Cross-World Travel, Data Center Travel must be undertaken from the Character Select Screen. So the first step is to load up Final Fantasy XIV, and right-click on the character you want to Data Center Travel with. This will bring up the subcommand menu. On this menu, select Visit Another Data Center.
This will bring up a new menu that will allow you to select the new Data Center and World. Once confirmed, you’ll enter a brief loading screen, which is tied to the overall log-in congestion. If there’s a lot of congestion in a Data Center, Data Center Travel will take longer.
Data Center Travel is restricted to Data Centers within your current region. That means it’s impossible to travel between regions, such as North America and Japan.
Returning from your Data Center Travel in Final Fantasy XIV
To return to your own Data Center, you’ll need to exit back to the Character Select Screen and go through the process again manually. You cannot cancel Data Center travel during the loading screen.
Data Center Travel Features
Players who have traveled to a new Data Center will have a new title displayed on their nameplate. This is similar to the “Wanderer” title that appears when you travel to other Worlds within a Data Center. This title is “Traveller” and will be displayed during duties and while interacting with the overworld.
While in a different Data Center you can interact with friends, take part in duties, and continue to make quest progress.
Data Center Travel Restrictions in FFXIV
Crafting and Gathering
- Legendary and unspoiled gathering nodes are inaccessible.
Retainers
- Retainers can’t be summoned, hired, or released.You can’t put items up for sale on the Market Board.
Free Companies
- Free companies cannot be formed or joined.Free company information cannot be viewed.Company credits cannot be earned.Free company chat cannot be used to send or receive messages.
Linkshells & Cross-world Linkshells
- Linkshell information cannot be viewed.Linkshells cannot be created or joined.Linkshells cannot be used to send or receive messages.Cross-world linkshells cannot be formed.It is still possible to join cross-world linkshells, with a limit of eight cross-world linkshells per Data Center.Travelers cannot be promoted to master of cross-world linkshells in the destination Data Center.Cross-world linkshells in different Data Centers cannot be used to send or receive messages.
Fellowships
- You can’t view information about fellowships, and you can’t join fellowships in different Data Centers.
Housing
- No houses can be bought, estates or apartments.Residence sharing is unavailable.
Eternal Bonding
- Ceremonies of Eternal Bonding are unavailable.Eternal Bonding quests are unavailable.Invitations to ceremonies cannot be offered to players in other data centers.
Duties
- In the Gold saucer Lord of Verminion tournaments cannot be entered, Triple Triad tournaments cannot be entered, and Jumbo Cactpot tickets cannot be purchased or redeemed.Deep Dungeon results will not be saved to leaderboards.PvP Crystalline Conflict ranked matches are unavailable, and PvP teams cannot be formed, joined, or chatted to.
Moogle Delivery Service
- The Moogle Delivery Service is unavailable, and you can’t receive messages or purchase items.
Teleports
- Eternity Rings from Ceremonies of Eternal Bonding will only work when both players are on the same World.You can only use an Aetheryte Pendulum to teleport to the nearest aetheryte if both players are on the same World.You can only teleport to a friend’s estate when you are on their Home World.
New and Preferred World Bonuses
- You will not receive the experience bonuses for visiting New or Preferred Worlds.
For more Final Fantasy XIV news and info check out Everything added in Final Fantasy XIV patch 6.18 on Pro Game Guides.