Is It Possible to Restore an Old Character from the Pre-NCSoft Days?

[OliverIngram.8729]

So, when I merged my old Anet account with this one, I was hoping to see my level 60 Necromancer I made back when GW2 was new, but they never popped up and, at the time, I just assumed it would not be possible to get them back... but now I am curious if it is or not. Has anyone else encountered the problem and got it resolved or at least, does anyone know if I can?

[DeanBB.4268]

"Merged my old Anet account"

What does that even mean? Linked the GW1 account with GW2? 

What is this "account merging" wizardry you speak of?

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

There were never pre-NCSoft days, and they've used the same character service all these years. They also don't do account mergers, so I'm confused at what you mean by this as well.

 

Are you confusing Valve with NCSoft, and talking about Steam? If so then your ArenaNet and Steam accounts are separate, even if they use the same e-mail address, and you can log into one or the other depending on how you launch the game, which means your old characters should still be there.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

NCSoft has owned ArenaNet since way back before even Guild Wars (One) launched.  Thus, there is no pre-NCSoft era for either game.  There is no such thing as 'account-merging' either.  Please be more specific about your issue.

[OliverIngram.8729]

Oh, well, a couple years back, Anet asked me to merge my account with a new GW2 account and so I did. I was told it was because of NCSoft acquiring GW2 by other players so, I thought it was recent.

[OliverIngram.8729]

27 minutes ago, SoftFootpaws.9134 said:

There were never pre-NCSoft days, and they've used the same character service all these years. They also don't do account mergers, so I'm confused at what you mean by this as well.

 

Are you confusing Valve with NCSoft, and talking about Steam? If so then your ArenaNet and Steam accounts are separate, even if they use the same e-mail address, and you can log into one or the other depending on how you launch the game, which means your old characters should still be there.

Oh, well, a couple years back, Anet asked me to merge my account with a new GW2 account and so I did. I was told it was because of NCSoft acquiring GW2 by other players so, I thought it was recent.

(sorry, tend to forget how quoting works on this site)

Edited March 14, 2023 by OliverIngram.8729

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

If the CS Team asked you to perform some 'merge', you will need to contact the CS Team via the 'Support' link above/below and discuss any issues you have with them.

Good luck. 

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

25 minutes ago, OliverIngram.8729 said:

Oh, well, a couple years back, Anet asked me to merge my account with a new GW2 account and so I did. I was told it was because of NCSoft acquiring GW2 by other players so, I thought it was recent.

(sorry, tend to forget how quoting works on this site)

I don't remember anything like this happening in the history of the game. Are you sure you weren't scammed? You should contact support via the official website and see what they have to say about it.

Edited March 14, 2023 by SoftFootpaws.9134

[Chaba.5410]

I didn't think there even is a feature to merge GW2 accounts.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Previously, when players have asked to merge accounts (from creating a new account from an expansion purchase), I thought the answer from the CS Team was:  "Not possible - refund and new key".

Perhaps, I am mistaken.  🤷‍♂️

[Jukhy.2431]

By merge do you mean this?: https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/230900328-Linking-your-Guild-Wars-Guild-Wars-2-Accounts
As stated there you can only link a single GW account to a single ArenaNet account and they cannot be unlinked. GW2 accounts bought thru Steam cannot be linked to GW accounts.

As for the NCsoft Master Accounts mentioned, here's old comment about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/8yev2g/comment/e2bpqha/
So basically, if you can verify that you own the old account (eg. serial key) then they might be able to restore it if the data is still available. It's been a long time so no idea if they've saved it. If this is the issue best to send support a ticket and ask.

[YourOnlyOne.4937]

There was a time when NCsoft created accounts can be used with Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. It did not create an ArenaNet account. One day/year, they decided to detach from NCsoft account system because of the changes planned for it. Players with an NCsoft account, or with a linked NCsoft and ArenaNet account, received an email about it informing of the "detachment".

Players with only an NCsoft account were asked to create an ArenaNet account, then link it to their NCsoft account so their GW and GW2 data can be transferred to their new ArenaNet account.

While players with already linked accounts were simply informed that they can no longer use their NCsoft account, and should use their ArenaNet account's email addresss to login. (This is my case, my NCsoft and ArenaNet accounts have been linked since Guild Wars 1.)

I think this is what the OP is asking about.

To the OP, you will have to remember the email address associated with your account. ArenaNet accounts are email based, and back when NCsoft and ArenaNet accounts exist at the same time, the email addresses can be different. You have to remember the email address on the ArenaNet account, not the NCsoft account.

Your last resort is to contact ANet support. You can provide them the following:

- a list of email addresses you suspect you used

- The NCsoft account that was linked to it before.

- The name of your characters

- When you created the account

- Serial keys/codes (this is the most important)

- Last 4-digit of the CC's used (if you bought anything directly from ANet

- and other information that can [1] help them find your account; and [2] prove that you own the account

Hope it helps.

 

[Ashantara.8731]

11 hours ago, OliverIngram.8729 said:

(sorry, tend to forget how quoting works on this site)

This tells me that you are likely not very tech-savvy and might have misunderstood whatever the support told you back then.

1. You cannot merge two GW2 accounts. You can only link an existing GW1 account with an existing GW2 account for the Hall of Monument rewards.
2. NCsoft has been the publisher for the Guild Wars franchise since the release of GW1, so there never were any "pre-NCsoft days".
3. The only characters that support used to be able to restore were characters you have deleted (a service that is no longer being offered). You could never ever transfer characters between accounts.
    

Edited March 15, 2023 by Ashantara.8731

[Nyth.6714]

I remember (kinda) as my NCSoft log in for Guild Wars was - emailname@plaync -  which I was asked to change / create one with Anet and use that as the main log in account etc etc. When that happened I honestly can't remember what I had on the account at the time.
The only time I ever lost characters was when they introduced the megaserver and 2 of my oldest characters went -poof-

[Axelteas.7192]

8 hours ago, YourOnlyOne.4937 said:

There was a time when NCsoft created accounts can be used with Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. It did not create an ArenaNet account. One day/year, they decided to detach from NCsoft account system because of the changes planned for it. Players with an NCsoft account, or with a linked NCsoft and ArenaNet account, received an email about it informing of the "detachment".

Players with only an NCsoft account were asked to create an ArenaNet account, then link it to their NCsoft account so their GW and GW2 data can be transferred to their new ArenaNet account.

While players with already linked accounts were simply informed that they can no longer use their NCsoft account, and should use their ArenaNet account's email addresss to login. (This is my case, my NCsoft and ArenaNet accounts have been linked since Guild Wars 1.)

I think this is what the OP is asking about.

To the OP, you will have to remember the email address associated with your account. ArenaNet accounts are email based, and back when NCsoft and ArenaNet accounts exist at the same time, the email addresses can be different. You have to remember the email address on the ArenaNet account, not the NCsoft account.

Your last resort is to contact ANet support. You can provide them the following:

- a list of email addresses you suspect you used

- The NCsoft account that was linked to it before.

- The name of your characters

- When you created the account

- Serial keys/codes (this is the most important)

- Last 4-digit of the CC's used (if you bought anything directly from ANet

- and other information that can [1] help them find your account; and [2] prove that you own the account

Hope it helps.

 

I play since beta 2012 and I remember vaguely having to do a procedure like this, link an old account to another new one... And in the new anet account I lost 1 gemstore outfit and my town clothes. I dont remember why I didnt claim to anet, but every time I remember it I get angry.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Axelteas.7192

[Healix.5819]

40 minutes ago, Axelteas.7192 said:

I play since beta 2012 and I remember vaguely having to do a procedure like this, link an old account to another new one... And in the new anet account I lost 1 gemstore outfit and my town clothes. I dont remember why I didnt claim to anet, but every time I remember it I get angry.

The last act of beta was to "merge" (upgrade) the account into a new account, which forced a new display name. Nothing earned on a beta account carried over, except for gems (item purchases were refunded) and bonuses.

This was the only time they've ever done anything resembling merging/linking two GW2 accounts.

[OliverIngram.8729]

On 3/15/2023 at 5:28 AM, YourOnlyOne.4937 said:

There was a time when NCsoft created accounts can be used with Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. It did not create an ArenaNet account. One day/year, they decided to detach from NCsoft account system because of the changes planned for it. Players with an NCsoft account, or with a linked NCsoft and ArenaNet account, received an email about it informing of the "detachment".

Players with only an NCsoft account were asked to create an ArenaNet account, then link it to their NCsoft account so their GW and GW2 data can be transferred to their new ArenaNet account.

While players with already linked accounts were simply informed that they can no longer use their NCsoft account, and should use their ArenaNet account's email addresss to login. (This is my case, my NCsoft and ArenaNet accounts have been linked since Guild Wars 1.)

I think this is what the OP is asking about.

To the OP, you will have to remember the email address associated with your account. ArenaNet accounts are email based, and back when NCsoft and ArenaNet accounts exist at the same time, the email addresses can be different. You have to remember the email address on the ArenaNet account, not the NCsoft account.

Your last resort is to contact ANet support. You can provide them the following:

- a list of email addresses you suspect you used

- The NCsoft account that was linked to it before.

- The name of your characters

- When you created the account

- Serial keys/codes (this is the most important)

- Last 4-digit of the CC's used (if you bought anything directly from ANet

- and other information that can [1] help them find your account; and [2] prove that you own the account

Hope it helps.

 

Yeah, I think you nailed it. I remember my old email I used for it and the name of the character, everything else is a massive question mark and I reaaaaally hate that serial keys/codes are needed because who the hell would keep track of something like that for 11 years?

I would not keep track of a silly old serial code for 11 years, especially when I've moved like 4 times in those 11 years. lol

Edited March 17, 2023 by OliverIngram.8729

[Chaba.5410]

25 minutes ago, OliverIngram.8729 said:

Yeah, I think you nailed it, the fact most people have no idea what I am talking about most likely means they weren't around when this was a thing. I remember my old email I used for it and the name of the character, everything else is a massive question mark and I reaaaaally hate that serial keys/codes are needed because who the hell would keep track of something like that for 11 years?

I would not keep track of a silly old serial code for 11 years, especially when I've moved like 4 times in those 11 years. lol

It was just confusing when you said "Pre-NCSoft" days.  And some of us never had an NCSoft account.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

From the Knowledge Base:

Important: @ncsoft and @plaync Accounts

---

If your account name currently ends in @ncsoft or @plaync, please contact us so we can update your account name to a valid email address and ensure that you can access all of the available account management features.

If you have multiple Guild Wars accounts on the same master account, those accounts will now be managed with their individual email addresses and passwords. Please contact our Support team for assistance and we'll be happy to help!

https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/230899908-Managing-Your-ArenaNet-Account

[Linken.6345]

1 hour ago, Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

From the Knowledge Base:

Important: @ncsoft and @plaync Accounts

---

If your account name currently ends in @ncsoft or @plaync, please contact us so we can update your account name to a valid email address and ensure that you can access all of the available account management features.

If you have multiple Guild Wars accounts on the same master account, those accounts will now be managed with their individual email addresses and passwords. Please contact our Support team for assistance and we'll be happy to help!

https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/230899908-Managing-Your-ArenaNet-Account

So according to this the OPs account was not merged only transfered into a valid anet account.

[YourOnlyOne.4937]

5 hours ago, Linken.6345 said:

So according to this the OPs account was not merged only transfered into a valid anet account.

It is no longer merged because the ArenaNet-GW2 account was already disconnected from the NCsoft account. However, as the OP said, he did go through the process. This means that his NCsoft-GW2 account is now an ArenaNet-GW2 account, but the OP can not remember his login details (ie the associated email address).

Any NCsoft-GW2 accounts which were not linked to an ArenaNet-GW2 account prior to the disconnection with NCsoft account database, were automatically converted into an ArenaNet-GW2 account. However, these said accounts are not accessible because it doesn't have a valid email address. These accounts have to be updated with a valid email address first before it can be logged-in.

^_^

[YourOnlyOne.4937]

7 hours ago, OliverIngram.8729 said:

Yeah, I think you nailed it. I remember my old email I used for it and the name of the character, everything else is a massive question mark and I reaaaaally hate that serial keys/codes are needed because who the hell would keep track of something like that for 11 years?

I would not keep track of a silly old serial code for 11 years, especially when I've moved like 4 times in those 11 years. lol

You don't necessarily have to find your serial keys. But it does help a lot in verifying your ownership of your account. ^_^

I strongly suggest you contact them, as they probably accept other ways of verifying your ownership of an account. But of course, the first order of business is to give them as much information as possible, so they can search for your account. After that, they can begin the verification process.

As for the “who the hell would keep track”, I do. I still have a copy of my Serial Keys for StarCraft (90s), for example. I still have copies of my Serial Keys for every WoW, Guild Wars 1, GW2, and other games. ^_^

A friendly advice, in the future, keep these important details somewhere secure with a security that only you can remember (and will not forget the unlock key to access it). You never know when you might need this information, like in the current situation.

I was able to recover accounts I've forgotten in other services/products because I kept these important information. It may not seem useful hen you first bought a product, but when you need it, at least you have it.

Think of it as your purchase receipt, which is usually asked for “warranty“. It just became digital. ^_^

I hope you recover your account and get access again!