Monster Hunter Wilds releases on February 28, 2025 for both PC and consoles. However, thanks to time zone differences the release time will most certainly vary from region to region, and certain regions will have earlier access when compared to others.
In particular, New Zealand players will have earlier access than usual, and a simple trick can let you play earlier too.
How to play Monster Hunter Wilds early
Refer to the steps below in order to play Wilds earlier than usual:
- On your Xbox Series X/S console, head on over to the settings page.
- Make sure you have no game or application running in the background before proceeding.
- Head on over to Xbox Settings > System > Language and Location.
- Under the Language and Location menu, select the Location tab.
- Set your new location to New Zealand.
- You will now be prompted to restart your console.
- Comply and wait for the console to finish restarting and begin playing as usual.
Keep in mind that Monster Hunter Wilds is not out yet for any region as of the time of writing this article. The game is set to launch on February 28, 2025 – at around 12 AM EST. Time zones will shift the launch window by a considerable margin.
Additionally, PC players will follow an entirely different set of timings for the launch of the game.
Those wishing to use the New Zealand trick will have to follow the New Zealand Standard/local time (NZST), which dictates a release time of 12 AM on February 28, 2025 for consoles only.
PC (Steam) versions launch at 6 PM however.
Quirks and limitations of the Monster Hunter Wilds New Zealand trick
The biggest drawback of the New Zealand trick is the fact that it does not work with the PlayStation 5 or PC versions of the game. The workaround only works with the Xbox Series X/S versions of the game.
