GTA 6 New Zealand Trick: Will It Work on Xbox?

Quick facts

Will the New Zealand trick work for GTA 6?

Probably, on Xbox Series X|S. Here is what that rests on.

GTA 6 launches at midnight local time on November 19, 2026. The Xbox store carries that as a separate release moment for each market, and New Zealand's comes first: midnight there is 11:00 UTC on November 18. The Xbox New Zealand trick sets your console's Location to New Zealand so the console follows that market's clock instead of your own.

The trick has worked for past Xbox releases, including Forza Horizon 6. It is not automatic for every game, though. Before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) launched, players were warned that it would not work and could lock them out until their own launch.

For GTA 6, neither Rockstar nor Microsoft has said anything about the trick, for or against. That makes it not yet confirmed in game, and it stays that way until New Zealand midnight.

How early can you play GTA 6 with the New Zealand trick?

It depends on how far behind New Zealand you are. The table compares New Zealand midnight with the release moment on your own Xbox store.

The US Xbox store lists a single moment for the whole country, midnight Eastern, which is why the head start is expected to be 18 hours on both coasts.

The countdown at the top of this page tracks both the New Zealand release and your own, and there is a standalone GTA 6 countdown as well. For launch times in every zone, see the GTA 6 release date guide.

Before you change region: buy and pre-load GTA 6 on your own account

The trick only changes when the game unlocks. It does not get you the game. Sort out both of these before you touch the Location setting.

Own it on your own account. Buy GTA 6 digitally on your normal store, in your normal region. Our GTA 6 pre-order guide covers where and how. Boxed copies are a code in a box with no disc, so if you bought one, redeem the code on your account first.

Pre-load it. Pre-load is open on Xbox, and the download is up to 212 GB depending on your console. You do not want to spend your head start watching a progress bar. The GTA 6 pre-load details have the full rundown.

Don't buy GTA 6 on the New Zealand store

Once your console is set to New Zealand, the store shows New Zealand prices. Leave it alone. The Standard Edition is NZ$139.95 there, it needs a payment method, account funds do not carry across regions, and your first purchase while set to New Zealand prompts you to update your billing info.

How to change region on Xbox for the New Zealand trick

This takes a couple of minutes on Xbox Series X|S. Do it shortly before New Zealand midnight instead of days ahead, because Game Pass and some items may not work while your console is set to another region.

Step 1: Open Settings from the guide

Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide. Move across to Profile & system and select Settings.

Step 2: Go to System, then Language & location

In Settings, open System and select Language & location.

Step 3: Check your current Location

The Location field shows the country your console is set to now. Note it, because you will set it back to this later.

Step 4: Set Location to New Zealand

Open the Location drop-down and choose New Zealand. Location is the only setting you change. Leave your Microsoft account's country as it is.

Step 5: Restart your Xbox

The change needs a restart to apply. Select the Restart now button on the same screen.

Step 6: Check GTA 6 is pre-loaded

After the restart, open My games & apps and find GTA 6. Make sure the pre-load has finished and no download is still running.

Step 7: Start GTA 6 after New Zealand midnight

Once New Zealand midnight has passed (11:00 UTC on November 18), launch the game. If the trick works for GTA 6, it will start the way it would at your own midnight. If your Xbox still treats the game as unreleased, the trick has not worked on your console, and you can set your Location back and wait for your own release.

Step 8: Switch back to your home country

Stay set to New Zealand until your own local release time has passed. Whether switching back early locks the game again is untested, so don't find out mid-session. After that, go back to Language & location, set Location to your home country and restart again.

Does the New Zealand trick work on PS5?

No, not through settings. On PS5 the release time follows the store your PSN account belongs to, not anything on the console. A PSN account's country is fixed when the account is created and cannot be changed afterwards, so there is no PS5 version of the Location switch.

The New Zealand PS Store lists GTA 6 for the same moment as Xbox, 11:00 UTC on November 18. The only way to reach it is a second PSN account created as a New Zealand account, which then has to buy the game again on the New Zealand store, with payment that matches that account's country. That is a second copy of GTA 6 for a few hours' head start. We don't recommend it.

If you are on PS5, the better plan is to pre-load and be ready at your own midnight.

Can the New Zealand trick get you in trouble?

We can't promise an answer either way, so here is what is known.

• Nobody has cleared it for GTA 6. Rockstar and Microsoft have said nothing about the trick for GTA 6.

• It is at your own risk. Microsoft's terms of use forbid getting around restrictions on when or where its services are available, and the trick could count.

• The Location setting is not meant for this. It is intended for people moving to a new country or region for a long time.

• Some things may stop working while you are switched. Game Pass and some items may not work in another region, which is one more reason to switch back once your own release has passed.

• A game can refuse it. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) players were warned ahead of launch that the trick would not work and could lock them out until their own launch.

Two things keep the risk down: change the console's Location only, and don't spend money on the New Zealand store.

FAQ

Does the New Zealand trick still work on Xbox?

It has worked for past Xbox releases, including Forza Horizon 6. It is not guaranteed for any single game, and for GTA 6 it is not yet confirmed in game. We'll test it at New Zealand midnight.

How do you play GTA 6 early?

On Xbox Series X|S, the New Zealand trick is the way to try: own and pre-load the game, set your console's Location to New Zealand, restart, and launch after New Zealand midnight. It is early access by time zone, not a paid extra. On PS5 there is no settings route.

Do you need to change the time zone on Xbox for the New Zealand trick?

Only Location is part of the steps. Whether the time zone setting matters for GTA 6 is not confirmed, and it is one of the things we'll check on launch night.

Do you need to change your Microsoft account country?

No. The console's Location and your Microsoft account's country are separate settings, and the trick only uses Location. The account country has its own limits on changes, so leave it alone.

What if the Xbox New Zealand trick is not working?

Check four things. Location is set to New Zealand under Language & location. You restarted the console after changing it. GTA 6 is owned on your own account and fully pre-loaded. New Zealand midnight has actually passed. If all four are true and the game still won't start, the trick may not work for GTA 6, so set your Location back and wait for your own release.

Does the New Zealand trick work with a physical copy of GTA 6?

Boxed copies of GTA 6 are a code in a box, not a disc. Redeem the code on your own account and pre-load before you change Location, the same as a digital purchase.

Can you do the New Zealand trick on PC?

No. GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with no PC version at launch. Our GTA 6 PC guide covers what is known about that.