Dragon’s Dogma 2: How to play early with New Zealand trick

Get in early.

DD2 character preaching in what looks like a church
Image via CAPCOM

If you’re itching to become an Arisen and explore the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 early, there might be a way for you to get into the game before anyone else using the infamous New Zealand trick.

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Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches around the world on March 22, midnight local time, so players in New Zealand already have access to the game while the rest of us twiddle our thumbs and wait to get in. If you don’t want to miss out, there’s a way to play alongside fans from New Zealand. But how does it work?

How to play Dragon’s Dogma 2 early on Xbox using the New Zealand trick

An image of an armored character from Dragon's Dogma 2
Arise Arisen. Image via Capcom

If you have an Xbox Series X|S, you have the easiest method to play Dragon’s Dogma 2 early. Follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings and select System
  2. Select Language & Location
  3. Set your location to New Zealand
  4. Restart your console

Make sure to revert your console to your original timezone in the future, especially if you play multiplayer games.

How to play Dragon’s Dogma 2 early on PlayStation using the New Zealand trick

A massive enemy standing over a character in Dragon's Dogma 2
Stand Tall! Image via Capcom

The New Zealand trick isn’t quite as effective on PS5. You need to create a new PlayStation account using a different email address. When creating this new account, ensure you select New Zealand as your region. If you have trouble, you might need to use a VPN to mask your location.

You then need to purchase Dragon’s Dogma 2 on this new account and use Console Sharing to access it on whatever other accounts you want to play it on. So long as this new account remains active on your console, you can keep playing Dragon’s Dogma 2 well after release.

If you want a physical version of Dragon’s Dogma 2 or don’t want to purchase a second digital copy, the only other option is to wait for the official release in your region.

Can you play Dragon’s Dogma 2 early on PC using the New Zealand trick?

Since Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches simultaneously around the world at the same time, there is no way to use the New Zealand trick on PC. The game will launch at 6pm CT on March 21, and that’s when you’ll be able to jump in.

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Adam Newell
Assigning Editor. In 2015, Adam graduated from the University of Aberystwyth with a bachelor's in Media and Communications. Working in the industry for over ten years. If it has anything to do with Nintendo and Pokémon chances are you will see me talking about it, covering, and likely not sleeping while playing it.
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Edward Strazd
Freelance News and SEO Writer for Dot Esports, covering everything from live service games like Destiny 2 and Fortnite to new releases. Writing about games since 2021. When he's not writing, he's probably grinding for loot in Destiny 2.