Black Ops 7 New Zealand Trick: How to Play BO7 Early

The global launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is locked for November 14, but players have already started lining up for an early way in. Because Activision typically releases Call of Duty titles at midnight local time, one region ends up getting access before everyone else: New Zealand.

By adjusting a few account and system settings, you can make your console or PC treat you as if you’re in New Zealand—unlocking the game hours before your regional launch.

Black Ops 7 New Zealand Trick: How to Play BO7 Early

Call of Duty launches use a rolling midnight release, meaning the game becomes playable as the clock strikes 12:00 AM in each region. Since New Zealand hits midnight much earlier than North America and Europe, the servers allow players in that region to start playing first.

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By switching your device and Activision account to New Zealand, you can align yourself with the NZ release countdown and jump into Black Ops 7 as much as 15–20 hours early, depending on your timezone.

How to Use the New Zealand Trick

Below are platform-specific steps that what actually works.

1. Xbox: The Most Reliable Method

On Xbox, device region settings directly influence when a game unlocks. That makes this the most consistent way to get in early.

Step-by-step:

Open Settings on your Xbox.
Go to System.
Select Language & Location.
Change your Location to New Zealand.
Restart your console when prompted.
Visit the official Call of Duty website on a browser.
Log in to your Activision account.
Under Basic Info, change your address to New Zealand and save.

After rebooting, your console should follow the New Zealand unlock time.

2. PC (Xbox App Only)

This method works only for players using the Xbox app for PC. Battle.net and Steam players must wait for the global release.

Steps:

Open Windows Settings.
Go to Time & Language.
Select Region and switch it to New Zealand.
Restart your PC.
Log back into the Xbox app—you should now see NZD currency.
On the Call of Duty website, update your Activision profile address to New Zealand.

If everything syncs correctly, the game will unlock at the New Zealand release time inside the Xbox app.

3. PS5: Unreliable but Possible

Sony’s regional controls are stricter, and this method failed for Black Ops 6 for many players. Still, some may get in early with the right setup.

What you need:

A New Zealand PSN account
Your Activision account set to New Zealand

Steps:

Change your Activision profile’s address to New Zealand.
Log into a PSN account created for the New Zealand region.
Attempt to launch Black Ops 7 when the NZ clock hits midnight.

Important: If you purchased the game on a non-NZ PSN account, you may be required to re-purchase it for the New Zealand account. This is the main reason the PS5 method is considered inconsistent.

Platforms Where the Trick Does NOT Work

Steam
Battle.net

Players on these launchers receive the game at a single synchronized global release time, meaning no region hopping helps.

Does Activision Allow This?

While Activision has never officially endorsed the method, the New Zealand trick has worked for several CoD titles over the years. That said, there’s always a chance they tighten restrictions with each release. If it fails this year, it likely means Activision has patched or blocked early access attempts.

Even without early access, the wait isn’t long. Black Ops 7 becomes available worldwide on November 14, with regional unlocks rolling out by time zone. If the trick doesn’t work, you’re only a few hours behind NZ players.

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Black Ops 7 New Zealand Trick: How to Play BO7 Early

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