A new era of EA Sports’ flagship soccer franchise is set to begin with EA FC 24 and a staggered global release means players in New Zealand can access the game early.
EA FC 24 releases at 12 pm local time on Friday, Sept. 22 which, because of time zones, means that players in New Zealand will be the first to jump into the game — but there are ways to ensure you don’t miss out.
Opting for the “New Zealand trick” has become a popular method for gamers in recent years, though it’s worth remembering that staggered releases are done for a reason, so you may encounter server issues if you try these methods.
How to play EA FC 24 early on Xbox using the New Zealand trick
Xbox players have the simplest method to access staggered releases like EA FC 24 early, as you only need to complete these steps.
- Open the Settings menu
- Select “System”
- Select “Language & Location”
- Set your location to New Zealand
- Restart your console
You must revert your console’s location back to your actual location before 11.30pm BST / 6.30pm EDT / 3.30am PDT, otherwise you risk your account being region-locked for matchmaking.
How to play EA FC 24 early on PlayStation using the New Zealand trick
Unfortunately, PlayStation players do not have such an easy time accessing EA FC 24 early, and the best approach is to ensure you are eligible for early access.
If that’s not enough, you can play EA FC 24 early by creating a new PlayStation account, using a different email, and selecting New Zealand when you get to the stage where you select your country and region.
You will need to purchase EA FC 24 on your new account and use Console Sharing to access it on your main account after full release—but you may be able to access your normal EA account when signing into the game, which means you can continue your progress.
How to play EA FC 24 early on PC using the New Zealand trick
Players may be able to pull of a version of the New Zealand trick using a VPN but they are unreliable and risky, so it’s advised that PC players simply wait until the early access period begins.
