PS5 & Xbox: New Zealand Trick To Play Games Early!

Are you eager to get your hands on the latest games before everyone else? The "New Zealand Trick" offers a clever workaround to access games early, and it's a strategy that's surprisingly straightforward, especially for Xbox users.

The allure of playing a highly anticipated game, like the latest installment of Black Ops or the newest EA Sports title, before the official release date is undeniable. The "New Zealand Trick" capitalizes on the fact that game releases often occur based on time zones. By changing your console's region to New Zealand, you can effectively "jump" ahead in time, gaining access to the game hours, or even a full day, earlier than players in other regions. While this is particularly effective on the Xbox platform, the method presents a slightly more complex proposition for PlayStation 5 users.

Aspect	Details
Concept	Exploiting time zone differences to access games early.
Primary Platform Advantage	Xbox Easier to change the store location.
PlayStation 5 Limitation	Requires creating a New Zealand-region PlayStation account.
Mechanism	Changing console settings (Xbox store location, or PS5 account region).
Goal	To play games at the earliest possible launch time, based on New Zealand's time zone.
Popular Games	Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, EA Sports FC 24/25, Hogwarts Legacy, and other major releases.
Legality	Generally considered a "gray area," not illegal but may violate terms of service.
Reference Website	IGN

For Xbox users, the process is remarkably simple. The core principle involves altering your console's store location to New Zealand. Navigate to your Xbox dashboard's settings menu. Within settings, find the "Location" option, often under "System" or "Preferences." Select "New Zealand" from the dropdown menu. Following this, you can also adjust your language region to "English (New Zealand)" for a more immersive experience. Once these changes are applied, the Xbox store will recognize your location as New Zealand, effectively aligning your access to game releases with their New Zealand launch times.

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PlayStation 5 users face a slightly different scenario. The PlayStation Network (PSN) is region-locked, meaning that changing your console's time zone alone won't grant early access. The recommended approach is to create a new PlayStation account, specifically designating New Zealand as the region during the account creation process. Once the new account is set up, you can purchase and download the game through the New Zealand-based account. This allows you to start playing when the game unlocks in New Zealand, even if it's not yet available in your actual location.

To ensure you accurately execute the "New Zealand Trick," several crucial steps need attention. Regardless of the platform, it's essential to double-check the time zone before initiating any changes. A minor oversight can potentially affect the timing of the release. On Xbox, the focus is on the store location, which is straightforward. For PS5, meticulousness in account setup is critical. When creating a New Zealand account, ensure all the information entered is accurate and reflects the region correctly.

For those utilizing Xbox, after changing your location, make sure to confirm the change by restarting your console. With PlayStation, after creating a New Zealand account, you'll log into that account to download the game. Remember, the game needs to be purchased or accessed through the New Zealand account to align with their release schedule. This is a critical point, as playing on your primary, original region account will not yield the desired early access benefits.

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The core principle behind the "New Zealand Trick" centers around time zones. When a game developer releases a game globally, the launch is often staggered, based on each region's time zone. New Zealand, due to its geographical location, is one of the first regions to experience the game's launch. By mimicking the conditions of New Zealand, you essentially unlock the game ahead of other regions. The launch dates are tied to the store, whether it's the PlayStation Store or the Xbox store.

The "New Zealand Trick" is most commonly discussed in the context of major AAA titles. Games like Call of Duty (particularly Black Ops 6), EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA), and other highly anticipated releases are prime targets for this technique. If you are eagerly awaiting the release of a specific game, search online for information and guides that detail how to apply the trick. Remember, the availability of early access depends on the publisher and the distribution platform.

For Xbox, the process of changing your location is pretty self-explanatory. Navigate to your Xbox settings and locate the "Location" setting. Change this to New Zealand, and then restart your console. Ensure that the language settings are also set to "English (New Zealand)" for a more cohesive experience. Once these changes have been implemented, you can purchase and play the game when it releases in New Zealand.

On the PlayStation 5, it's a little more complex. You'll be required to create a new PlayStation account with a New Zealand region. Follow the prompts during account creation, ensuring New Zealand is selected as the region. After setting up your new account, log into it and purchase the game via the PlayStation Store. At the time of the game's launch in New Zealand, you'll be able to start playing.

A crucial consideration to remember is that, on the PlayStation platform, you'll need to play the game on the New Zealand-region account. This is how the time zone trick works. For instance, if you typically use a UK-based account, you won't be able to play the game early on that account. Instead, you'll need to use the New Zealand account to access the game before it releases in your original region.

For PC users, there's an alternative approach to accessing games early. You can change your region settings within your operating system. Accessing your Windows settings, typically under "Time & Language" or the "Region" settings, allows you to change your geographical location to New Zealand. Additionally, ensure the time zone is set to Auckland, Wellington, or another applicable New Zealand time zone to match the region. Remember to restart your computer after making these changes.

Is the "New Zealand Trick" safe and legal? The answer to this question falls into a gray area. It's crucial to understand that technically, you're not engaging in any illegal activities. There is no hacking, altering, or manipulation of game files involved. The procedure is a simple matter of modifying your console settings. However, you may be violating the terms of service of the platform or the game publisher, although it's unlikely to result in significant repercussions.

When modifying your settings, it's important to verify the accuracy of your time zone selection. Double-checking the time zone can help prevent any confusion or disappointment. If you're using a New Zealand account on the PlayStation 5, make sure that you've purchased the game from the PlayStation Store available to that account. This ensures that you are aligned with the New Zealand launch timing.

One of the most common questions is the availability of this trick for specific games. The method is primarily effective for titles where the release is time-zone-based. The success varies depending on the game publisher's practices and the platform's policies. If you're interested in taking advantage of the trick, it's helpful to check online guides and community discussions to verify that the trick will be viable for the game you are interested in.

Some players report that they have tried various alternative approaches. These can include attempts to manipulate the time zone on their consoles or computers. However, the effectiveness of these tactics often depends on the specific game and the measures implemented by the game's publishers. The most reliable approach continues to be altering your console's store location or creating a region-specific account.

Keep in mind that using the "New Zealand Trick" does not always guarantee instant access to the game. The game might still have a limited release time window, or the servers might become overloaded. Also, be aware that the game publisher could potentially detect your region change and take any action based on its user agreement. This is rarely the case, but it is essential to be aware of the terms.

If you are changing your time zone to New Zealand on your PC, the process involves going to the "Settings" section of your operating system. From there, click on "Time & Language," then go to "Region," and then change your country or region to New Zealand. Be sure to restart your computer to have your changes properly activated. This is an easy way to align your system with New Zealand's time zone and access the game early.

If you've created a New Zealand account for your PlayStation 5, be sure to add a New Zealand address. After that, change your location to New Zealand via the drop-down menu. You can find and download the game through this new account. This process is one of the best ways to get the games you want earlier than others.

Ultimately, the "New Zealand Trick" is a fascinating approach for enthusiastic gamers eager to experience the latest releases before their friends. It is generally a safe and legal method that allows players to gain a head start on their favorite games, if used properly. Remember to always be respectful of the terms and conditions of the platforms and games you're using.