By Fletcher Wilkinson 
The GTA 6 release times have seemingly started appearing online and it now looks as if some Xbox players could gain access significantly earlier than others.
Listings on the PlayStation Store suggest that Grand Theft Auto VI will unlock at midnight local time in each region on November 19th 2026. If the Xbox version follows the same schedule, that would mean players in New Zealand will be among the first in the world to begin playing Rockstar’s highly anticipated open-world game.
For players in the UK that means New Zealand could gain access approximately 13 hours earlier which is a massive win if you are an eager fan who can’t wait to delve into the game.
This corresponds to:
- 11am GMT on November 18th in the UK
- 6am EST on November 18th in the US
The game would then continue unlocking across different countries as each region reaches midnight. This creates a staggered global rollout rather than one simultaneous worldwide release. I mean we have seen this with other titles in the past and usually we see this occurring for games like Call of Duty.
The apparent rollout has naturally revived discussion surrounding the so-called “New Zealand trick.”
Xbox consoles allow users to change their system location relatively easily. In the past, some players have used this setting to access games when they become available in an earlier time zone.
However it is worth noting that changing your console location purely to bypass a regional release schedule is not an officially supported method. Anyone attempting it would therefore be doing so at their own risk and it can lead to suspensions on the account as per Microsoft/Xbox terms of service.
There is also no guarantee that it will work as Rockstar and Take-Two could choose to use a simultaneous global launch for the Xbox version and then restrict access based on purchase region or change the currently listed release schedule before November.
What do you think though? Tell us down in the comments below.
Olivia Davies
Paula Beaton