PSN trick will let you play GTA 6 up to 18 hours early on the PS5

GTA 6 is shaping up to be one of the biggest game releases in history. After years of waiting, Rockstar’s next open-world title is now only a few weeks away, and millions of players are preparing to jump into Leonida as soon as possible. However, depending on where you live, there may be a way to start playing significantly earlier than the official release time in your region.

GTA 6 is scheduled to release on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, but the game will be following a regional midnight launch instead of unlocking everywhere at exactly the same moment. This means New Zealand should be among the first regions to gain access once the clock hits midnight there.

Xbox players have been using the so-called New Zealand trick with other releases for years, as the console allows users to change their location through the system settings. On PS5, things aren’t quite that simple. Still, there is a workaround that could potentially allow players in other countries to access GTA 6 up to around 18 hours earlier than they normally would.

New Zealand trick for GTA 6 on PS5

The method involves creating a New Zealand PSN account and enabling Console Sharing and Offline Play on the PS5. Since PlayStation Store purchases are tied to their respective regions, players would then need to purchase GTA 6 through the New Zealand account. That also means obtaining a New Zealand-specific PSN gift card or another supported payment method for that regional store.

Once GTA 6 has been purchased through the New Zealand account, Console Sharing should allow it to be played using the user’s regular PS5 profile. Based on the expected regional rollout, players on the U.S. East Coast could potentially start at around 6 AM on November 18, while those on the West Coast could get access at roughly 3 AM. Some European countries could see the New Zealand version unlock around midday on November 18.

There is an important catch, though. PlayStation Network’s terms prohibit users from creating accounts with false country or regional information, so using this workaround could violate Sony’s rules. Players considering it should keep that in mind rather than treating it as an officially supported way to gain early access.

That said, users can also preload GTA 6 starting November 12. This will allow you to download the game early and jump in as soon as it launches.

Written by

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.

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