What Is the New Zealand Trick?

The “New Zealand Trick” is a simple Xbox region-switch method that lets your console unlock games based on New Zealand’s local release time.

Since New Zealand is one of the first major regions to reach midnight, players in North America and Europe can sometimes access a game 12–19 hours earlier than their own region’s launch.

For Forza Horizon 6, this works because Playground Games uses a regional midnight unlock system for Xbox consoles and the Windows Xbox App.

Once New Zealand hits launch time, your Xbox believes you are located there and unlocks the game early.

What You Need Before It Works

Before changing anything, make sure your account actually qualifies for access.

You Must Own One of These

• Premium Edition
• Premium Upgrade Bundle
• Game Pass Ultimate with Premium Add-Ons
• Standard Edition/Game Pass users waiting for the May 19 launch

If you only own the base game before its official release date, the trick will not bypass Premium early access restrictions.

Platforms Where This Works

The New Zealand Trick works on:

• Xbox Series X
• Xbox Series S
• Windows PC through the Xbox App

It does not work on Steam.

Steam uses a synchronized global release time instead of regional midnight unlocks, so changing your Windows region there will not help.

Important Game Sharing Rule

If you share games with another account, the account that owns:

• the Premium Edition,
• the Premium Upgrade Bundle,
• or the active Game Pass subscription

must be set up correctly as the license owner.

Otherwise, the early unlock may fail.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Do the New Zealand Trick on Xbox

The setup only takes a few minutes.

Step 1 – Open Xbox Settings

Turn on your Xbox and press the Xbox button to open the guide menu.

Go to:

Profile & system → Settings

Step 2 – Enter System Settings

Scroll down and open:

System → Language & location

This is where the region change happens.

Step 3 – Change Your Location

Find the Location dropdown menu.

Change it to:

New Zealand

That’s the only setting you need to change.

Do not change:

• Language
• Language region
• Keyboard settings

Leave everything else alone.

Step 4 – Restart Your Xbox

After changing the location, select:

Restart now

The console must reboot for the region switch to activate properly.

Step 5 – Launch Forza Horizon 6

Once the console restarts:

• Open Forza Horizon 6
• Wait for the license check
• Enter the game

If New Zealand has already reached launch time, the game should unlock immediately.

You’ll be driving through Tokyo highways and mountain touge roads long before your local region goes live.

Best Time to Use the Trick

For most North American players, the unlock usually happens:

• Early morning
• Or midday on the previous calendar day

depending on your time zone.

That’s why so many players use the method during Premium Edition launches.

You can effectively start grinding credits, unlocking cars, and exploring the map almost a full day early.

What Happens to VIP, Car Pass, and DLC?

This is where many players panic unnecessarily.

The main game usually unlocks instantly, but some DLC content may not appear right away.

This can include:

• VIP Membership rewards
• Welcome Pack cars
• Car Pass vehicles
• Bonus credits
• Cosmetic items

These extras are often tied to your actual store region and may unlock only when your home region officially reaches midnight.

So if your bonus content is missing at first, don’t worry. It normally appears later automatically.

Avoid These Mistakes

Do Not Buy Microtransactions

Avoid purchasing:

• Tokens
• Credits
• DLC
• Expansions
• Paid shop items

while your Xbox region is set to New Zealand.

Marketplace syncing can sometimes behave strangely when regions are mismatched.

Wait until your real region officially launches before spending money in-game.

Don’t Constantly Switch Regions

Change your location once, play the game, then switch back later after launch.

Repeatedly changing regions over and over can sometimes create store syncing issues or delayed downloads.

How to Switch Back to Your Real Region

Once Forza Horizon 6 officially launches in your country, switch your console back.

Repeat the same steps:

Settings → System → Language & location → Location

Select your real country, then restart the console again.

That restores:

• local storefront access,
• regional matchmaking,
• payment systems,
• and standard Xbox services.

Will You Lose Save Data?

No.

Your:

• progress,
• credits,
• cars,
• tunes,
• photos,
• and campaign progression

all carry over normally.

Forza Horizon 6 saves through Xbox cloud syncing, so nothing is lost when switching regions back.

Is the New Zealand Trick Safe?

Historically, Xbox has allowed players to freely change console regions, and this method has been used for years across many major releases.

You are not modifying game files or exploiting servers. You are simply changing your console’s regional location setting.

That said, always use common sense:

• avoid purchases while switched,
• don’t abuse marketplace systems,
• and switch back after launch.

Final Tips Before You Jump Into Japan

Once you get in early, use the extra hours wisely.

The first day economy in Forza Horizon 6 moves fast. Early players get advantages by:

• discovering XP boards first,
• unlocking fast travel locations,
• farming credits,
• learning drift routes,
• and flipping rare cars in the Auction House before prices explode.

Focus early on:

• the Tokyo highway loops,
• mountain touge passes,
• and seasonal reward unlocks.

The sooner you start, the faster your garage grows.