GTA 6 doesn’t unlock everywhere at once. PlayStation Store listings show 15 separate unlock windows, starting at 11:00 UTC on November 18, which is midnight in New Zealand, and ending at 06:00 UTC on November 19 in Mexico. Store listing Rockstar hasn’t published its own unlock table.
That gap has revived an old trick: telling your console it’s in New Zealand. Windows Central, Eurogamer and others say it should work on Xbox Series X|S, while PS5 owners face a costlier workaround. Reported Rockstar, Microsoft and Sony haven’t said whether it will work for GTA 6, so treat it as a likely option, not a promise.
How much earlier would you play?
| Your store region | Normal unlock | Head start via New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom, Ireland | Nov 19, 00:00 UTC | 13 hours |
| Most of Europe (CET) | Nov 18, 23:00 UTC | 12 hours |
| United States, Canada | Nov 19, 05:00 UTC (12 a.m. ET) | 18 hours, including the West Coast |
| Mexico | Nov 19, 06:00 UTC | 19 hours |
| India | Nov 18, 18:30 UTC | 7.5 hours |
| Australia | Nov 18, 13:00 UTC | 2 hours |
The US and Canada store uses a single unlock time, 12 a.m. Eastern, so West Coast players already get the game at 9 p.m. on November 18. See every region’s unlock time, with a live countdown.
Xbox: how the trick is said to work
- Finish your pre-load first. It opens at 12 a.m. GMT on November 10. The game has to be fully downloaded.
- Go to Settings → System → Language & location and set Location to New Zealand.
- Restart the console when asked.
- After 11:00 UTC on November 18, launch GTA 6.
Changing location also switches your Microsoft Store to the New Zealand storefront. Guides disagree on whether you can switch back while the game is running: some say yes, while BGR says you likely can’t start in New Zealand and then return before your own region unlocks. The safe option is to leave it on New Zealand until your home region’s unlock time has passed. Reported
PS5: possible, but it costs money
PlayStation ties the store region to your PSN account, not the console, and Sony doesn’t let you change an existing account’s region. To play early you would need to create a new New Zealand account and buy GTA 6 again on the New Zealand store, then play it on your console. Reported For most people that’s a second full-price copy for a few hours’ head start, so we don’t recommend it.
The risks
- It isn’t confirmed. Nobody involved has said the region switch works for GTA 6, and launch-day entitlement checks could behave differently from past games.
- It has caused problems before. When Xbox players used the same trick for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II in 2022, Infinity Ward warned they could run into connectivity problems. GTA 6 is single-player at launch, so matchmaking isn’t a factor, but store and licence checks still are.
- Spoilers start early. New Zealand and Australia will be playing for hours before Europe and the Americas. Here’s how to avoid GTA 6 spoilers.
- Ignore “early access” offers. Nothing sold online can unlock GTA 6 sooner. Those sites are scams. How to spot them.
FAQ
Can you play GTA 6 early?
Officially, no: GTA 6 unlocks at your store region’s launch time. Unofficially, Xbox owners are reported to be able to switch their console location to New Zealand, which unlocks first at 11:00 UTC on November 18. Rockstar and Microsoft haven’t confirmed it works.
What time does GTA 6 unlock in New Zealand?
Midnight local time on November 19, which is 11:00 UTC on November 18, according to PlayStation Store listings.
Does the New Zealand trick work on PS5?
Only with a separate New Zealand PlayStation account and a second copy of the game bought on the New Zealand store, because PSN account regions can’t be changed.
Can you get banned for changing your Xbox region?
Neither Microsoft nor Rockstar has said. Changing location is a built-in Xbox setting, but we can’t promise how launch-day checks will treat it.
Sources
- Windows Central — GTA 6 launch and changing your Xbox region
- GadgetReview — when GTA 6 unlocks around the world
- BGR — Xbox Series X players and early GTA 6 access
- Beebom — the New Zealand trick on PS5 and Xbox
- Tech Insider — what is and isn’t confirmed about the trick
- God is a Geek — regional launch times and the Modern Warfare II precedent