The short answer
ROB RUN party play is a two-part process: send the invite, then make sure both players are on the same server. If the game says your friend is elsewhere, switching servers is possible, but it costs you the current run.
Invite a friend
Both players should join the same region or server first. Open the party interface, search for your friend, and use Add to send the invite.
Do not assume a specific party-size limit. Build the group around the job you want to do rather than around an unconfirmed number.
If you are on different servers
Use the prison route:
- Open the global map.
- Select the Prison.
- Choose Surrender to Feds.
- Once inside the prison, switch to your friend’s server.
- Resend the party invite after the server is aligned.
The last step matters. Changing servers does not guarantee that the original invite is still waiting, so send it again once both of you are on the same server.
A server switch ends the current run
Changing servers is not a free hop. The current run is reset, and you choose another server afterward. Bank or spend what you can before the switch, and do not carry a full loot bag into it expecting the bag to follow you.
This is also why party play is easier when both players are ready to start the same kind of run. If one player is a wanted criminal and the other is a cop, being in a party does not remove the role conflict.
Pick the right server for the session
Each server has its own seven-day wipe cycle, and new servers open regularly. If you want a fresh start, join a new server rather than waiting for an old one to reset.
Before inviting a friend, agree on the plan:
- Are you both playing civilians, criminals, or police?
- Are you staying for a short job or building toward a base?
- How much time is left in the server cycle?
- Who is carrying the cash, and where will it be stored?
Sorting those questions before the invite saves you from paying the server-switch cost twice.