Summary
World of Warcrafthas plans to let full cross-faction groups queue for automated LFG instances some time afterThe War Within’s release. While there is no timetable for this update, this major milestone towards full cross-faction play inWorld of Warcraftis seemingly in the works.
InShadowlandsPatch 9.2.5,World of Warcraftpulled the ripcord on cross-faction play. After years of being unable to do so, Alliance and Horde players can now enter dungeons, raids, and even PvP together. However, cross-faction groups are currently unable to use the automatic LFG tool, as the developers want to verify fans aren’t forced to play with characters from the opposite faction.
That said, it seems likeWorld of Warcraftmay be letting cross-faction groups use this tool in some fashion in the future. During a recent group interview to celebratethe launch ofWorld of Warcraft: The War Within,WoWproduction manager Michael Bybee confirmed the team was working on a way to allow cross-faction instance queues for fully formed groups. “They’ve already opted into that cross-faction behavior and then they can then play in a cross-faction group as long as they’re queued up as a full group,” he said. As long as players are in a full group, this will allow them to complete dungeons without physically going to the instance and entering it manually. “It’s not gonna be in the initial launch, but we’re talking about that being something potentially post-launch, hopefully soon, and I’m super jazzed about it.”
Cross-Faction LFG Queue for Full Parties in WoW Soon
This is an important feature, as certain event instances, such as holiday bosses or Timewalking dungeons, are currently impossible to do across factions. Adding this capability will open up nearly every aspect of the game for cross-faction, with the only things still locked inWorld of Warcraftbeing Follower Dungeons, random queues, and overworld communication while not in a group together – and of course, entering settlements without being attacked by NPCs.
“They’ve already opted into that cross-faction behavior and then they can then play in a cross-faction group as long as they’re queued up as a full group… It’s not gonna be in the initial launch, but we’re talking about that being something potentially post-launch, hopefully soon, and I’m super jazzed about it.”
This is a net positive forWorld of Warcraft, as it only adds new ways for fans with cross-faction friends to enjoy the game, and it does not force anyone to participate. Guilds have already become cross-faction and cross-realm, so this will enable players to play with their guildmates much easier than before. There is no schedule for when this feature will arrive, but it couldarrive as early asWorld of WarcraftPatch 11.0.5if players are lucky.
Of course, some fans hopeWorld of Warcrafteventually adds full cross-faction queuing to the game. While some faction loyalists are against this, proponents have suggested adding a toggle to enable players to opt in to the function while solo or in a cross-faction group, allowing partial groups to queue for instances together, regardless of faction. Fans will have to wait and see ifWorld of Warcraftever takes this final step towards full faction freedom.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
WHERE TO PLAY
In this opening chapter of The Worldsoul Saga, you’ll journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the Nerubian empire, where the inscrutable Harbinger of the Void has gathered her arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.
