WoW Forever can look empty because players are split across separate copies of the world, and Blizzard says it's changing that. On 5 November, developer Aggrend said the team knew some areas didn't feel as populated as they should and would tweak some numbers the next day.
What's confirmed
- Confirmed: Blizzard knows about the empty feeling and plans to adjust it. It hasn't said which numbers will change or how much.
- Confirmed: Forever has no realm list. You choose a ruleset, and the game places you in the world.
- Confirmed: Blizzard's development notes list party changes as something that may move you to a different world instance.
What players report
Unverified, from threads like ghost towns on launch day and too few people in the main city:
- Seeing only a handful of players in Ironforge or at the bank on launch day.
- Trade chat with few people in it.
- Other players saying they like the quiet.
We don't have population numbers, and neither does Blizzard publicly. Sites quoting exact counts are working from their own estimates.
Why a friend vanishes when you invite them
Try Refresh Now first. On 5 November Blizzard's Kaivax asked players whether a blue message appears in the lower right after you join a party, and whether clicking it offers a Refresh Now button that puts you with your group. If you see it, use it.
If a group change moves you to another copy of the world, the person next to you can disappear and reappear somewhere else. Forming the group before you travel to each other is the simple way round it. Once you're grouped, give it a moment before assuming something's broken.
If you still can't invite anyone, it's usually the ruleset or faction rule.
What you can do
- Group up early. Shared quests and dungeons work best once you're in the same party.
- Try a dungeon group or a guild. Other players are easier to find in chat channels than in the street.
- Check again after Blizzard's tweak. Launch week can change quickly, so we'll update this page when we see what Blizzard changed.