Black Ops 6 New Zealand trick explained -- how to play BO6 early

If you’re wondering how the New Zealand trick works in Black Ops 6, you’ve come to the right place.

It’s no secret that the much-awaited Black Ops 6 official launch is right around the corner but many players want to dive into the game a little early ahead of its release.

Credit: Activision, ONE Esports

That’s where the New Zealand trick comes in as it allows you to play the game 24 hours earlier than the rest of the world. But what exactly is this strategy and most importantly, is it even safe? Let’s break it down.

What is the Black Ops 6 New Zealand trick and how to use it?

The New Zealand trick is a clever workaround used by gamers to access digital releases of games earlier than their official launch time. The trick is based on time zone differences.

Credit: Activision, ONE Esports

Since New Zealand is one of the first countries to enter a new day due to its position near the International Date Line, games released at midnight in New Zealand are technically available hours earlier than in other parts of the world like the US or Europe.

When it comes to Black Ops 6, players change their console’s region settings to New Zealand, which allows them to download and play the game as soon as it becomes available in that country—several hours before it’s officially out in their own region.

Screenshot by Tarun Sayal/ONE Esports

To use this trick, one must follow these steps:

Players who have pre-ordered Black Ops 6 digitally on their consoles ensure that the game is already downloaded onto their system.Head to the console settings and change the region to New Zealand before the game’s release.On Xbox: Go to Settings > System > Language & location and then change the location to New Zealand. The console may need to restart to apply the changes.On PlayStation: Thankfully, there’s no need to tweak any region settings. You can play the game early by changing your Activision account’s address.After the game’s release in New Zealand (typically midnight NZST), players can start playing as though it has already been released in their region.Credit: Activision, ONE Esports

It’s important to mention that you’ll also need to change your address to New Zealand in Call of Duty account settings. On top of that, the trick doesn’t work for Steam or Battle.net players.

Is the New Zealand trick safe?

The New Zealand trick falls into a bit of a gray area. Technically, players aren’t doing anything illegal—there’s no hacking or altering of the game files involved. They’re simply taking advantage of the console’s built-in settings to access content earlier.

However, it’s important to note that publishers like Activision may frown upon this tactic. While no one has been banned for changing their console’s region, it could potentially violate terms of service and players run the risk of getting locked out of future updates or content if there’s any fallout. Activision has historically been lenient on this but there are no guarantees.

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