How to Play Monster Hunter Wilds Early with the New Zealand Trick

Just like plenty of other games, getting to play Monster Hunter Wilds early is possible thanks to the well-known New Zealand trick—allowing you to set your system to the country’s time and dive in before the game’s release date on Friday, Feb. 28.

A handy trick exclusive to Xbox consoles, Series X|S players can play a whole day early without having to jump through extra hoops compared to their PS5 and PC counterparts.

How to Play Monster Hunter Wilds Early with the New Zealand Trick

If you’re playing on an Xbox Series X|S console, you can use the New Zealand trick to play Monster Hunter Wilds early, you need to go to the “Profile & system” tab, select “Settings”, and then perform the following steps:

• Move your cursor to the “System” tab.
• Select “Language & Location”.
• Go to “Location”.
• Select “New Zealand”.

After you restart the console, the changes to your system will take effect. Your Xbox Series X|S console will believe you’re on New Zealand time, resulting in your pre-loaded Monster Hunter Wilds being unlocked or the game being available to buy and play early via the console’s Store.

How to Play Monster Hunter Wilds Early on PS5 & PC

There is also a New Zealand trick that technically works on PS5 and PC to let you play games like Monster Hunter Wilds early. However, this usually requires more effort than you’d usually want to put in for just one day’s earlier access.

To play early on PS5 or PC, you need to set up a PlayStation or Steam account with your location set to New Zealand. This means you won’t be able to have your playthrough or achievements sync up with your original account.

What’s more, you’ll also need to buy the game on either platform in New Zealand dollars. With the current exchange rate, purchasing the standard edition on PSN, for example—priced at $134.95 in New Zealand Dollars—equates to $76.68 USD, almost $7 more than purchasing it from the US store.

With the added expense and not even being able to play on your main account, it’s not worth performing the New Zealand trick on PS5 and PC unless you’re determined to get as much time in with Monster Hunter Wilds as possible.

Now that you know how to play Monster Hunter Wilds early, find out how to capture Monsters for a peaceful alternative in the game.

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