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Black Ops 6 New Zealand trick explained – how to play early

Posted on by Kennedy
Black Ops 6 New Zealand trick explained – how to play 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 highly anticipated official launch of Black Ops 6 is imminent, but many players are looking to dive into the game a little earlier before launch.

Five Black Ops 6 operators pictured by ONE Esports for Black Ops 6 PC needs
Photo credit: Activision, ONE Esports

This is where the New Zealand trick comes in, allowing you to play the game 24 hours earlier than the rest of the world. But what exactly is this strategy and, above all, 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 that allows players to access digital releases of games ahead of the official release time. The trick is based on time zone differences.

Black Ops 6 operators on Area 99 pictured by ONE Esports for all Warzone changes in BO6
Photo credit: Activision, ONE Esports

Since New Zealand is one of the first countries to adopt a new day due to its location near the international date line, games released at midnight in New Zealand are technically available hours earlier than in other parts of the world such as the US or Europe.

When it comes to Black Ops 6, players are changing their console's region settings to New Zealand so they can download and play the game as soon as it's available in that country – a few hours before it officially launches in their own region.

Changing Region on Xbox for Black Ops 6 New Zealand Trick
Screenshot by Tarun Sayal/ONE Esports

To use this trick you need to follow these steps:

  1. Players who have pre-ordered Black Ops 6 digitally on their consoles should ensure that the game is already downloaded onto their system.
  2. Go to the console settings and change the region to New Zealand before releasing the game.
    • On Xbox: Go to Settings > System > Language & Location, then change the location to New Zealand. The console may need to be restarted for the changes to take effect.
    • On PlayStation: Luckily there are no region settings to adjust. You can play the game early by changing your Activision account address.
  3. After the game is released in New Zealand (usually midnight NZST), players can start playing as if it had already been released in their region.
Westpoint Squash Operator skin performing a side dive in the image from ONE Esports to learn how to effectively use Omnimovement in Black Ops 6
Photo credit: Activision, ONE Esports

It's important to mention that you'll also need to change your New Zealand address in the Call of Duty account settings. Additionally, the trick does not work for Steam or Battle.net players.

Is the New Zealand trick safe?

The New Zealand trick is more of a gray area. Technically, players are not doing anything illegal – the game files are not being hacked or altered. You simply use the console's built-in settings to access content sooner.

However, it's important to note that publishers like Activision may frown on this tactic. Although no one has been banned for changing the console region, doing so could potentially violate the Terms of Service and players risk being banned from future updates or content if there are consequences. Activision has been lenient on this in the past, but there are no guarantees.

READ MORE: Best Black Ops 6 graphics settings for PlayStation 5 and Xbox

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