It is time to return to Midgar in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to continue the fight against Sephiroth, and for those itching to jump into the game before anyone else, there is a way to access FF7 Rebirth early during the staggered global release.
FF7 Rebirth launches Feb. 29, 12am local time, so players in places like New Zealand and Japan gain access to the game before anyone else. If you don’t want to miss out, there is a way to get into the game early, but it comes with a catch.
This is known as the ‘New Zealand trick,’ and a lot of players use it to gain access to their favorite titles early, should they be desperate to start playing even a few hours earlier than anyone else. So how does it work?
How to do the New Zealand trick for FF7 Rebirth on PS5
Playing any game, let alone FF7 Rebirth, on PS5 early is rough.
To use the New Zealand trick, create a brand-new PlayStation account using a different email address and select New Zealand as your region. If you have trouble, you might also need to use a VPN to mask your location to New Zealand in certain circumstances.
You must purchase FF7 Rebirth on the new account and use Console Sharing to access it on your main account once it releases in New Zealand. So long as you keep the account active on your PS5, you can keep playing FF7 Rebirth without purchasing it again on your usual account.
If this all sounds like a hassle, the only other option is to wait for FF7 Rebirth to go live in your region. It should come out digitally at midnight local time. If you want the game physically, though, there is no way to play it early.