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.

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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

MW2 Beta Rewards

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

How to Get FIFA 23 Early Using New Zealand Trick
  • 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:

Players are seeing the Campaign screen or an error due to multiple logins when using the NZ trick. You may experience something similar to this, however, we hope these issues will resolve soon.

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.

Modern Warfare 2 Difficulty Levels & How to Unlock Realism Mode

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.