If you’re as excited for MW2 as we are, you’ll want to find out how to play early using the New Zealand trick.
The excitement is still building for Modern Warfare 2 after the Beta was the largest in Call of Duty history. But sometimes, that wait can cause us to be impatient.
Fortunately, players can switch their console region to New Zealand, as it releases earlier there, and access MW2 early.
What Time Does MW2 Release in New Zealand?
Modern Warfare 2 will release at midnight (12 AM NZST) on Friday, October 28, 2022, in New Zealand. This is at 4 AM PT / 7 AM ET / 12 PM BST on Thursday, October 27.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 will release in New Zealand in

How to Unlock Modern Warfare 2 Early with New Zealand Trick on Xbox

- Open the Settings menu on your Xbox
- Go to System
- Select the Language Region dropdown and pick ‘English (New Zealand)’
- Select the Location dropdown and pick ‘New Zealand’
- Press the Restart Now button
UPDATE 3: For those experiencing issues, there is a workaround:
- Complete the steps above
- Log in to your Call of Duty account here
- In the Basic Info section, click Edit on the Address portion
- Switch location from your current one to New Zealand
- Use these details for a New Zealand address:
- Address Line 1: 100 Spackman Crescent
- City: Paraparaumu Beach
- Zip code: 5032
- Save changes
- Restart your game to ensure the changes take place
UPDATE: Infinity Ward has said that those who try this trick may experience connectivity issues and possibly be locked out of the game until the release time in your home region. This came from a recent tweet, which you can find below:
Those on PlayStation can perform a similar trick, but it’s a lot longer and requires more of a workaround.
How to Play Modern Warfare 2 Early with NZ Trick on PlayStation
- Log in to your Call of Duty account here
- In the Basic Info section, click Edit on the Address portion
- Switch location from your current one to New Zealand
- Use these details for a New Zealand address:
- Address Line 1: 100 Spackman Crescent
- City: Paraparaumu Beach
- Zip code: 5032
- Save details
- On your PlayStation console, delete the Multiplayer pack currently installed
- Restart the console
- Download the Multiplayer pack again
You should then have access to Call of Duty early on PlayStation, regardless of your region.
How to Play MW2 Early on PC
Unfortunately, Modern Warfare 2 has a global release on PC. This means that the game launches for everybody at the same time, regardless of region.
You can check out the MW2 release time for PC players here. Unfortunately, that means you’ll need to wait longer than those playing on console.

You should find out if you’ll need a phone number to access Modern Warfare 2, as some platforms will require it as an added security measure.
For those who get in early, find out how to redeem Mountain Dew codes to get double XP and other rewards. You could also get some COD Points.
Thursday 27th of October 2022
Does the PS5 trick work?
Thursday 27th of October 2022
Day 1 patch 58.81gb on Series X, slow server so I'll probably have to wait until tomorrow anyway
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
My game just keeps loading the “campaign early access” after I do this so it’s not working for me
Thursday 27th of October 2022
im experiencing the same thing and its almost 10 minutes late for the launch
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
@Zach, maybe cause it’s not out until another 5 hours
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
@AverageJoe, I just did it rn and it still shows up as campaign it’s 10:30 pacific time and 6:30 almsot in New Zealand ???
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
LOOL
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
@Zach, it works on the 27th