You usually can’t invite a friend to a group in World of Warcraft: Forever because your characters are on different rulesets, different factions or different regions, and Blizzard only lets characters on the same ruleset and faction group up. If all of that matches, type /invite and their character name instead of using the friends list, and if either of you joined with an Invite-A-Friend code, log out and back in, because a November 5 hotfix cleared a bug that blocked those accounts from forming parties.
Below is each cause, how to check it and what to do. Checked November 8, against Blizzard’s ruleset post, its hotfix notes and its community manager’s forum posts.
Check These First
| Cause | How to check | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Different rulesets | Compare the ruleset each character is on | Make a character on the same ruleset |
| Different factions | One of you is Alliance, the other Horde | Make a character on the same faction |
| Different regions | Compare your Battle.net regions | Play in the same region |
| Friends list error | It says they are playing a different version, or the invite does nothing | Type /invite and their name |
| “Cannot find player” | The game cannot see that character | Check the ruleset, then the spelling of the name |
| Invite-A-Friend bug | Either of you joined with a code | Log out and back in |
Different Rulesets
This is the big one. Blizzard’s ruleset post says “cross-ruleset grouping is not supported,” and the game warns you when you pick one: “You will only be able to interact with players who choose the same ruleset.” Normal, PvP, Roleplaying and Roleplay-PvP are separate, and Hardcore is sealed off from everything else.
Here is why it is confusing: Battle.net friends can still chat across rulesets, so your friend can be online on your list and answer your whispers while no invite can ever reach them. Our guide to grouping across rulesets has the full table of what crosses over and what does not. If you picked different ones, one of you needs a new character, and our changing rulesets guide covers your options. Our guide to which ruleset to choose helps you agree on one.
Suspect any character you made during name reservations. Characters made then have turned up on a different ruleset from the one chosen, and in one case the character screen showed the ruleset that was picked while the character sat on another. Blizzard has not addressed this. The test is quick: make a new level 1 character on the ruleset you agreed on and try the invite from it. If it works, the older character is not where it says it is, and remaking it is the fix we found.
Different Factions
Blizzard is plain about this one: “Horde and Alliance players still cannot group together.” Its new player’s starter guide tells friends to “agree on both choices before creating your characters,” meaning ruleset and faction. Our guide to how Alliance and Horde work explains what else that rules out.
Different Regions
WoW Forever has no realms, but it does have regions: Americas and Oceania, Europe, Korea and Taiwan. A friend in another region cannot be invited or mailed from your character. Our guide to how many servers there are has the details.
The Friends List Says “Different Version”
If your friends list says your friend is playing a different version of the game, or the invite button does nothing, skip the list. Open chat and type the command with their character name:
/invite Name
That has worked when the list refused. Characters have two-part names in Forever, so if the first name alone fails, try it with the full name and check the spelling. Have your friend try inviting you the same way as well, because the problem can sit on one side only.
If you get “Cannot find player” while you can still message the same person over Battle.net, go back to the ruleset check above: a friend on another ruleset can chat with you, but the game cannot find their character for an invite. Logging both accounts out fully, not just to character select, is worth one try.
The Invite-A-Friend Bug
Blizzard’s community manager posted on November 5 that a live hotfix had fixed “an issue where players who joined WoW Forever by using an Invite-a-Friend Code were unexpectedly restricted from using certain chat channels, leveling past 10, participating in guilds, forming parties, or trading items with other players.” The post adds that “you may wish to log out and back into WoW Forever.”
So if your friend joined with a code and could not group before that date, log out and back in once. Our Invite-A-Friend codes guide covers how the codes work and how long their access lasts.
The Basics
- Only the group’s leader can invite. If someone else leads, ask them to send it.
- A party holds five. Check it is not already full.
- Check for a pending invite. Your friend has to click Accept in the window that pops up.
You Are Grouped, but Your Friend Is Not There
That is a different problem. Forever runs copies of the world, and being in a group does not put you in the same one until you refresh. Our layers guide shows how to get onto your friend’s copy. For dungeons, see our dungeon finder guide, and every Forever guide we have is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I invite my friend to a group in WoW Forever? The usual reason is that your characters are on different rulesets, factions or regions. If those match, type /invite and their name rather than using the friends list.
Why does it say my friend is playing a different version? That message comes up in the friends list even when you are both in WoW Forever. Type /invite and their character name in chat instead.
Why does it say “Cannot find player”? Often the character is on another ruleset, even if you can still message them over Battle.net. Check the spelling too, then test with a new character on the agreed ruleset.
Can I invite someone on a different ruleset? No. Blizzard says cross-ruleset grouping is not supported, though Battle.net friends can still chat.
Can Alliance and Horde group in WoW Forever? No. Blizzard says Horde and Alliance players still cannot group together.
Can I group with a friend in another region? No. Americas and Oceania, Europe, Korea and Taiwan are separate, so you cannot invite or mail across them.
Are Invite-A-Friend accounts blocked from groups? They were until a November 5 hotfix. Blizzard says that restriction is fixed, and suggests logging out and back in.