Where Winds Meet supports full cross-progression between PC and PlayStation 5. One character, one account “web”, and your progress travels with you whether you log in through Steam, Epic Games, the official PC launcher, or PS5.
The system is powerful, but also unforgiving. Linking in the wrong order or creating a “test” character on the wrong platform can permanently block cross-progression on that account unless customer support steps in. Treat account choice and the first character you create as long-term decisions.
Where Winds Meet cross-progression basics
Cross-progression in Where Winds Meet is built around a single underlying game account that can be associated with multiple login identities:
- PC platforms: Steam, Epic Games Store, and the official PC launcher (NetEase account login).
- Console: PlayStation 5 (PSN account).
- Optional identity channels: Gmail/email, Facebook, and other NetEase account types.
All of these can be linked together so they access the same character and progression. Once linked correctly, you can freely move between:
- Steam ⇄ Epic ⇄ official PC launcher ⇄ PS5, using the same character.
- Any of those plus a NetEase email login for backup and web flows.
There are two core rules that define what is possible:
| Rule | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| One character “owner” per account web | All linked logins (Steam, PSN, Epic, NetEase, Gmail, etc.) share the same character and progression once connected. |
| No linking between two “used” accounts | If both accounts you are trying to join already have their own character, they cannot be linked together. |
That second rule is where many players run into trouble: creating a “throwaway” character on a new platform before linking can permanently block that account from joining your main web, unless support deletes the data.
Where to find account linking on each platform
Account linking lives in two different places depending on how you’re playing.
| Platform / Entry point | Where to link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Official PC launcher (NetEase) | Title screen → User Center → Link Account | Can be done before creating any character. This is the safest way to build your account web. |
| Steam client | In-game menu → Settings → Other → User Center / Bind Account | Requires getting through the intro and character creation to unlock full settings. |
| Epic Games Store client | In-game menu → Settings → Other → User Center / Bind Account | Same behavior as Steam. |
| PlayStation 5 | In-game menu → Settings → Other → User Center / Bind Account | Requires playing through the tutorial and creating a character to reach the menu. |
On PC, the official launcher also exposes a User Center shortcut on the title screen via an icon in the lower-left corner. That allows linking logins before touching character creation at all.
On PS5 and on Steam/Epic, early builds do not expose User Center at the title screen, so you only see it after finishing the opening sequence and naming your character. That design directly conflicts with the “link before creating a character” rule, which is why using the official PC launcher for initial linking is strongly recommended whenever possible.
Safe linking patterns for common scenarios
The safest way to use cross-progression is to decide on your “home” platform first, create and progress there, and only then bring in other platforms that do not yet have any character data.
Linking when you start on the official PC launcher
This is the cleanest path, because you can link accounts before any character exists.
- Install and open the official PC launcher from the game’s main site at wherewindsmeetgame.com.
- Log in with or create a NetEase Games account (email login, Gmail, etc.).
- At the title screen, open User Center → Link Account (icon in the lower-left corner).
- Link every platform you plan to use:
- Add your Steam account (if you own the game there).
- Add your Epic Games account (optional).
- Add your PlayStation Network account (PS5).
- Confirm your NetEase/Gmail login is also linked.
- Once all intended platforms are listed as linked, return to the title screen and start the game to create your first character.
From that point on:
- Launching via Steam, Epic, PS5, or the official launcher should offer a Resume option, not “Start”, and load the same character.
- Any additional platform you add later must not already have its own character, or the link will fail.
Linking when you already started on Steam or Epic
If you created your character on Steam or Epic first, that platform effectively “owns” your progression until you bind other logins to it.
Use this pattern:
- Launch Where Winds Meet from Steam or Epic and log into the account that has your main character.
- Reach in-game control (past the Ruby cutscene and the first character creation).
- Open Settings → Other → User Center or Bind Account.
- Link:
- A NetEase account (email or Gmail) first, as a stable “hub”.
- Your PlayStation Network account (if you plan to play on PS5 and have not created a PS5 character yet).
- The official PC launcher login, if you want that option as well.
If the Bind Account button does nothing on Steam or Epic (a common complaint), a fallback is:
- Install the official PC launcher.
- Log in there using the same NetEase account you already linked in-game on Steam/Epic.
- At the title screen, you should see a Resume button — that confirms your Steam/Epic character is associated to this NetEase account.
- From the launcher’s User Center → Link Account, add any other platforms you need (e.g., PSN).
Once PSN is linked in User Center and your Steam/Epic account is part of the same web, starting the game on PS5 should offer to resume your existing character rather than forcing a new one.
Linking when you already started on PS5
Starting on PS5 without linking first is the most error-prone route, because PS5 initially hides the User Center and forces you through character creation before you can see the Bind Account option.
If you:
- Created a character on PS5, and
- Have never created a character tied to the PC account you want to use,
you can still turn that PS5 character into your cross-progression main and carry it to PC.
- On PS5, play through the intro until you can freely control your character in the open world.
- Open Settings → Other.
- Use User Center / Bind Account; scan the QR code with a phone if prompted, and log into:
- A NetEase account (email/Gmail) — strongly recommended.
- Your Steam account (if you plan to use Steam).
- Your Epic Games account (optional).
- Confirm that PSN, NetEase, and Steam/Epic all show as linked to the same game data.
After that, installing the game on Steam/Epic and logging in with the linked account should display a resume option and load your PS5 character.
Where things go wrong is when you create characters on both sides before linking:
- PS5 has its own character.
- Steam/Epic/launcher has a different character on a different account.
In that case, the linking system will report that “the game data has been linked to an account and cannot be linked again” when you try to combine them. At that point, only two options exist:
- Abandon one side and keep playing on the other, or
- Ask support to delete or unbind data so the accounts can be linked.
Manual unlinking and character deletion are locked down
Once you bind login accounts together, you cannot freely undo that from normal menus. For security reasons, the game does not allow manual unlinking in User Center.
If you need to:
- Unlink a platform (for example, remove PS5 from a PC account web), or
- Delete character data on a login that is blocking linking,
you have two paths:
- Use the in-game customer service window (available from Settings by holding a specific button on some clients) to request an unbind action, where available.
- Email support at wherewindsmeet@global.netease.com and explicitly ask for account unlinking or character data deletion, providing your in-game ID and affected platforms.
Players have reported that specific in-game flows can “move” a character from PSN or Steam onto a NetEase account and then unbind the console login, effectively resetting that login and freeing it for a new link. These flows require creating a temporary NetEase account, binding it, using the CS unbind option in-game, and then re-binding from the desired side. They work, but they are complex and easy to mis-execute, so contacting support is safer if you are unsure.
How cross-progression interacts with purchases
Cross-progression covers your character level, gear, story, unlocks, and most event rewards. Purchases are more constrained.
Right now, the platform where you first created your character controls premium transactions for that account web:
- If your first character was made on PS5:
- Battle Pass, monthly pass, and premium currency (Echo Beads, etc.) purchases are restricted to the PlayStation Store.
- You cannot use the Top-Up Center on the official site for that character.
- You can still play on PC, but you may need to launch the PS5 client whenever you want to buy or claim premium items.
- If your first character was made on Steam or in the official launcher:
- The restriction is applied around that PC storefront environment instead of PS5.
That purchase-lock behavior is intentional and is called out in console notices. It reflects platform policies for in-game payments rather than a bug. There is no supported way to “move” the purchase authority to another platform without starting over on a brand‑new account web.
Cross-progression and rewards (beta, pre-registration, milestones)
Several reward tracks are tied to account identity rather than platform, which makes cross-progression particularly important if you participated early.
| Reward type | How to claim | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Beta test rewards | Log in with the same account used in beta (Gmail, Facebook, PSN, Steam). If you want to claim them elsewhere, link that beta identity to your new platform before creating a character. | In-game mail tied to the character created using that login. |
| Milestone rewards | Level a character on a linked account to level 5. | In-game mail once level 5 is reached. |
| Pre-registration rewards | Complete the main quest “Homecoming” on a character under the account that was used to pre-register. | Delivered after the quest is completed. |
| Website pre-registration lucky draw | Submit your Gmail or NetEase account on the pre-registration page before the stated deadline; rewards go to that account directory. | Sent to the linked account some time after the deadline date. |
| Discord Beta Community Event rewards | Contact the Discord support team with your in-game ID. | Delivered via the in-game systems once processed. |
| PS5 preorder bundle | Log in on PS5 at least once with the PSN account that purchased the bundle. | Claimable only on PS5, but items are tied to the character and follow it to other linked platforms. |
Two key implications:
- If you pre-registered or won a reward on a specific email, Steam ID, or PSN account, your first character for claiming that reward should be created using that same login.
- If you later want to play primarily on a different platform, you can register that email as a NetEase account, link it to your preferred platform, and then create your character there — as long as none of the linked logins already have an existing character.
Cross-play vs. cross-progression
Cross-play and cross-progression are separate features that happen to be enabled together here.
- Cross-progression means your character, quests, and items are shared across PC and PS5 when you log in with any linked identity. That is what all the account linking is for.
- Cross-play means PC and PS5 players can group up and play together in the same instances and online modes, regardless of which store they launched from.
NetEase and Everstone describe both features as fully supported across Steam, Epic, the official launcher, and PS5. On launch, some multiplayer ID lookup flows between PC launchers may not be fully wired up, but the underlying cross-progression system already treats them as peers once they are linked to the same account web.
Where Winds Meet does offer robust cross-progression — but it assumes you treat your logins and first character like a one-time migration plan, not a casual experiment. If you have access to a PC, using the official launcher’s title screen User Center to build your account web before touching character creation avoids most of the traps. If you have already created characters on multiple platforms, the best step is to decide which progression you care about more and then work with support to clear out whatever is blocking the links.
