The Blood of Dawnwalker unlocks at midnight local time on consoles in almost every region, and New Zealand hits midnight before anyone else. That single quirk lets PS5 and Xbox players sitting west of New Zealand start the game well ahead of their own local launch, without paying for early access.
Quick answer: On Xbox, change your console’s location to New Zealand in the settings and restart. The game then unlocks at 12 AM NZST on September 3, which is the earliest console launch in the world. On PS5, you need a separate New Zealand account with the game bought on it, so Xbox is by far the simpler route.
Why the New Zealand trick works on consoles
Console copies of The Blood of Dawnwalker do not share a single global unlock. Instead, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions go live at midnight in each region, so the clock in your console’s chosen country decides when you can press play. New Zealand reaches midnight ahead of the rest of the world, meaning its copy opens first at 12 AM NZST on September 3.
Because the unlock follows the region, telling your console it is in New Zealand pulls your unlock time forward to match. For most of the world, that is hours earlier than the local console launch. In North America it lands well before the September 2 evening release.
Note: this only works on consoles. The PC version launches simultaneously worldwide at midnight CEST on September 3, so switching store regions on Steam does nothing to move that time.
Play early on Xbox by changing your region
Xbox is the easiest platform for this because you only change one setting. You keep your existing account and your existing copy of the game.
After the restart, your console follows the New Zealand schedule. Once it is past midnight in New Zealand, the game becomes playable. Make sure you have already installed or preloaded the title so you can jump straight in.
Play early on PS5 with a New Zealand account
The same idea works on PlayStation, but PS5 ties games to the account’s store region rather than a console setting. That makes the process more involved and more expensive, since you effectively buy the game a second time.
If you already own the game on your main PlayStation account, paying again for a few extra hours rarely makes sense. For most PS5 owners, waiting for the local launch is the practical choice.
When you can start playing early in your time zone
The New Zealand unlock is 12 AM NZST on September 3. Translated into other zones, that lands on September 2 for most of the world. These are the earliest times you can play using either console method.
| Time zone | Early unlock time |
|---|---|
| PDT | 5 AM, Sept 2 |
| MDT | 6 AM, Sept 2 |
| CDT | 7 AM, Sept 2 |
| EDT | 8 AM, Sept 2 |
| BRT | 9 AM, Sept 2 |
| BST | 12 PM, Sept 2 |
| CEST | 1 PM, Sept 2 |
| IST | 5:30 PM, Sept 2 |
| CST (China) | 8 PM, Sept 2 |
| JST | 9 PM, Sept 2 |
| AEST | 10 PM, Sept 2 |
| NZST | 12 AM, Sept 3 |
Compare that against the standard North American console launch of 9 PM PDT on September 2, and the saving is clear for players on the US West Coast in particular.
Preload first so the trick works
Preloading opens 48 hours before launch on consoles. Download the full game ahead of time so nothing stands between you and the New Zealand unlock. To work out your preload window, take your region’s launch time and subtract exactly two days.
You will know the trick worked when the game’s tile stops showing a countdown or “coming soon” state and launches straight into play once New Zealand passes midnight. If it still refuses to start, the most common reasons are that the region change did not save, the console was not restarted, or the game is not fully installed yet.
Developer Rebel Wolves has also asked players to hold off on streaming until the official times, so keep that in mind if you plan to broadcast your early session. If you would rather buy or wishlist the game first, the official listings are available on Xbox and PlayStation.
