Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
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Modern Warfare 4 New Zealand trick: multiplayer went live at 7 a.m. ET on Oct. 22
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer went live in New Zealand at midnight on Friday, Oct. 23, local time, which was 7 a.m. ET and 4 a.m. PT on Thursday, Oct. 22. That's the first stop of Activision's midnight-local rollout, and it's why the New Zealand trick works: players who switch their Call of Duty account region to New Zealand get into multiplayer 17 hours before midnight Eastern. Players report the trick works on Xbox, with mixed results on PS5, Steam and Battle.net. Activision hasn't confirmed it and doesn't officially support it.
- PS5
- Xbox Series X|S
- PC
- Switch 2
Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer is live in New Zealand, and players everywhere are switching regions to join early. Here’s how the New Zealand trick works on each platform, what it costs you in ping and when the game unlocks where you live.
Activision and Infinity Ward set the full launch, multiplayer included, for midnight local time on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. New Zealand is the first big market to hit midnight. With daylight saving time, Auckland runs 17 hours ahead of New York, so midnight there came at 7 a.m. ET on Oct. 22.
Multiplayer access follows the region on your Call of Duty account. Change that region to New Zealand, and the game treats you like a player in Auckland. That’s the whole trick, and it has worked for earlier Call of Duty launches too.
The campaign has been playable for digital pre-orders since Oct. 16 and DMZ since Oct. 20, so the trick is all about multiplayer. Our Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer page has the launch maps and modes.
How to do the New Zealand trick on PS5 and PC. On PS5 and on PC through Steam or Battle.net, the change happens on the Call of Duty website:
- Log in to your profile on the Call of Duty website.
- Open the Basic Info tab.
- Change your address to one in New Zealand.
- Save, then restart Modern Warfare 4.
How to do it on Xbox and the Xbox app. Xbox takes one extra step. Open Settings, go to System, then Language & location, set Location to New Zealand and restart the console when prompted. Then change the address on your Call of Duty profile, as above.
On PC through the Xbox app, open Windows Settings, go to Time & language, then Language & region, and set the country or region to New Zealand. Restart the PC, log back in to the Xbox app and update your Call of Duty profile.
Ping. Matchmaking pairs you with players in Oceania, so your connection crosses the Pacific, and every gunfight feels it. Those servers also carry a crowd from every other region doing the same thing. Activision doesn’t officially support the trick. Switch your region back once the game unlocks where you live.
You also need the game installed. Modern Warfare 4 isn’t on Game Pass at launch, so Xbox players have to buy it too. Digital pre-orders on PC have been able to preload since Oct. 15, and Campaign Early Access put the game on every platform for digital buyers on Oct. 16.
Without the trick, multiplayer opens at midnight local time on Oct. 23. The US gets one moment for every time zone, since PlayStation Store and Microsoft’s store both list 04:00 UTC for the US. Here’s each unlock in Eastern time:
- Sydney and Melbourne9 a.m. ET, Oct. 22
- Tokyo and Seoul11 a.m. ET, Oct. 22
- Berlin and Paris6 p.m. ET, Oct. 22
- London7 p.m. ET, Oct. 22
- São Paulo11 p.m. ET, Oct. 22
- The whole USMidnight ET, Oct. 23, which is 11 p.m. CT and 9 p.m. PT on Oct. 22
Our release time page tracks the US launch, and the full Modern Warfare 4 page covers the editions and price.
This page is updated as soon as Activision posts launch-day news for Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer.
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FAQ
Is Modern Warfare 4 out in New Zealand?
Yes. Multiplayer went live at midnight on Oct. 23 New Zealand time, which was 7 a.m. ET and 4 a.m. PT on Thursday, Oct. 22.
What is the Modern Warfare 4 New Zealand trick?
It’s a switch of your Call of Duty account region to New Zealand. Activision launches the game at midnight local time, and New Zealand reaches midnight first, so the switch gets you into multiplayer 17 hours before midnight Eastern.
Does the New Zealand trick work on PS5?
Results on PS5 are mixed. The change happens on the Call of Duty website: log in, open Basic Info, set a New Zealand address and save, then restart the game.
Does the New Zealand trick work on Xbox?
Players report it does, with one extra step. Set the console’s location to New Zealand under Settings, System, Language & location, restart, then update the address on your Call of Duty profile.
Does the New Zealand trick work on Steam and Battle.net?
Reports from Steam and Battle.net players are mixed. PC players there change only the address on the Call of Duty website. On the Xbox app, the Windows region has to be New Zealand as well.
Is the New Zealand trick safe?
Activision doesn’t officially support it, and that’s the main risk. Expect higher ping and crowded servers, and switch your region back once the game unlocks where you live.
When does Modern Warfare 4 come out in the US?
At midnight ET on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, for the whole country. PlayStation Store and Microsoft’s store both list 04:00 UTC for the US, which is 9 p.m. PT on Thursday, Oct. 22.
When does Modern Warfare 4 unlock in the UK and Australia?
London gets it at midnight on Oct. 23, which is 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 22. Sydney and Melbourne got it at 9 a.m. ET on Oct. 22.
Do I need to own Modern Warfare 4 for the trick?
Yes. The game has to be bought and installed, and it isn’t on Game Pass at launch. Digital pre-orders on PC have been able to preload since Oct. 15.
How much is Modern Warfare 4?
$69.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the digital-only Vault Edition. Standard digital owners can upgrade to Vault for $30.
Pop quiz
1 questions from this story.
What time did Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer go live in New Zealand, in Eastern time?
Midnight on Oct. 23 in New Zealand was 7 a.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 22.
Your call
Are you using the New Zealand trick for Modern Warfare 4?
