Grand Theft Auto 6 is arguably the most important game ever made. It’s the culmination of a decade of work and waiting, and it’s almost here. It’s anticipated to sell tens of millions of copies within a single week, and it’ll likely shatter records from the minute it hits the market.
If you want to be among the first to play Grand Theft Auto 6 early on PlayStation 5, you’ll want to know how to do the ‘New Zealand trick’, which effectively gets you the earliest access possible. To learn how to do the New Zealand trick on PS5, simply read on, as I’ve got the simplest guide for you, with all steps included.
How to Play GTA 6 Early on PS5
Grand Theft Auto 6 is coming out on November 19, unlocking at midnight local time around the world. That means that some territories will be able to access the game ‘earlier’ than others, thanks to how time zones work.
New Zealand is always the first territory to access new games because of where it’s situated on the planet. Isn’t that lovely for them?
But you can use a (relatively) easy trick to play GTA 6 early on PS5, using this New Zealand method to unlock the game 12 or 13 hours earlier than you normally would.
The problem is, PlayStation presents a rather troublesome approach to the trick, as you need to jump through some hoops to get GTA 6 early on PS5. It’s not as easy as it is to do the New Zealand trick on XBOX, where you just need to flip a switch in the console’s settings menu.
Here are the steps to follow to unlock GTA 6 early on PlayStation 5:
- Boot your PS5 and create a new PSN account located in New Zealand. If you need to find a fake New Zealand address, just hop onto Google Maps or run through your favorite search engine the literal term ‘fake New Zealand address’ and enter what comes back.
- Head to the New Zealand PlayStation Store.
- Purchase your copy of Grand Theft Auto using your primary payment method, or for the safest results, buy a New Zealand PlayStation Store gift card.
- Wait for November 11 (which would normally be the 12th in your time zone) and pre-load GTA 6.
- Wait until the right time comes around, and start your journey through Leonida!
But there’s an extra step you can consider…
How to Make GTA 6 Playable on Your PS5 Account, Not the New Zealand Account
There’s an additional step to consider if you want to play GTA 6 on your own account as opposed to the New Zealand account.
When you come to the second step after making a New Zealand-based PSN account, you’ll want to head to your console settings, then to Users and Accounts, then Other, then Console Sharing and Offline Play, and flick that over to ‘enable’.
When GTA comes out, you’ll be able to jump back to your main PlayStation 5 profile, and because you’ve enabled local sharing, you’ll be able to access the game early via your own account. It’s an extra step but it’s worthwhile doing.
GTA 6 Launch Times for New Zealand Trick
Here’s a handy table to help you understand when you can play GTA 6 using the New Zealand trick:
| Timezone | Time GTA 6 Goes Live |
| New Zealand (NZDT) | 00:00 (November 19) |
| United Kingdom (GMT) | 11:00 (November 18) |
| East Coast (EST) | 06:00 (November 18) |
| West Coast (PST) | 03:00 (November 18) |
| Central Europe (CET) | 12:00 (November 18) |
| Japan (JST) | 20:00 (November 18) |
| India (IST) | 16:30 (November 18) |
| Central (CST) | 05:00 (November 18) |
Are you going to be using the New Zealand trick to play GTA 6 earlier? Let us know your plans on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out whether it’s better to buy the Ultimate Edition of GTA 6. And for even more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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