Can You Play GTA 6 Early? The New Zealand Trick Explained

Everyone in the world is itching to play GTA 6, and it’s no surprise that fans are already trying to figure out the best way to get into Vice City as early as possible. Well, there might actually be a trick to get a head start, and it involves changing your region to New Zealand.

Different Regions, Different Launch Times

GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026, but not everyone will get access at the same time. According to Rockstar’s official release schedule, the game will unlock at midnight local time across all regions.

That means players in New Zealand could get into Vice City a full 18 hours before those on the US East Coast. If you’re on the West Coast, you’ll be waiting another three hours.

So, how can you take advantage of this? Xbox players may be able to change their console region to New Zealand to access the game earlier. PlayStation players have a slightly more complicated process, as they’ll generally need a separate New Zealand PSN account with a purchase tied to that region.

Of course, this method isn’t officially endorsed by Rockstar, so there’s no guarantee it will work as expected.

There is no confirmed early access period, beta, or special edition that lets players jump into GTA 6 before its November 19 launch. Physical copies arriving at retailers on November 12 also won’t get you playing early, as these contain download codes intended for preloading rather than playable discs.

So, if you really can’t wait for the regional unlocks in your timezone, you might want to try this trick out.