Players across the world have marked their calendars for November 19, 2026. That is the day owning a current-gen console will be worth it for many, since “Grand Theft Auto 6” is launching on the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Players got a 30-minute extended look at “GTA 6” on Netflix, and the anticipation for the title has only grown ever since. Pre-orders for “GTA 6” are up on both platforms, with the base game costing $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition costing $99.99.
“GTA 6” launches at midnight locally in all time zones, making it a staggered release that will see some regions get access to the game earlier than others. New Zealanders will be the first when it launches on November 19 at 12:00 a.m. NZDT, which is 11:00 a.m. UTC. This places the release 19 hours before Mexico and Central America.
This is useful information for Xbox owners because of the New Zealand trick. All they have to do is set their Xbox’s time zone to New Zealand in settings to access it earlier than they’re supposed to. Those using a PS5, on the other hand, cannot change regions. A workaround is to create a New Zealand account, fund it with PSN gift cards that were loaded with New Zealand dollars, and then buy “GTA 6.” This doesn’t make much sense for someone who already bought the game on their local account, but can be useful for those who haven’t pre-ordered yet.
How to change your Xbox’s region to New Zealand
The ability to change your location on an Xbox was intended for situations where you’re moving to a new country. But you can exploit it to play “GTA 6” if you’re impatient. Just keep in mind that Microsoft limits region changes to once every three months, which is about four times every year. That means you likely can’t start playing “GTA 6” in the New Zealand region and then switch back to your region once it becomes available there.
To change the location on your Xbox Series X, follow the steps below:
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Press the Xbox button on your Xbox Wireless Controller.
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Select Profile & system.
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Select System.
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Select Language & location.
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Set Location to New Zealand.
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Select Restart Now.
Now you can play “GTA 6” early, so be sure to tune your TV for the best gaming performance for your play-through. If your Xbox won’t let you change regions, there are two other reasons why. Firstly, your account may be suspended. Secondly, New Zealand laws may consider you a minor, even though you’re a legal adult in the region where you reside.
Starting September 27, 2026, at 2:00 a.m., New Zealand will begin observing daylight saving time until April 4, 2027, at 3:00 a.m. local time. So you might want to use a time zone tool like Default Time Zone Converter to know the exact time and date you’ll be playing GTA 6 after successfully changing regions. Ensure you’ve set the dropdown on the left to New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT).
