People are playing Cyberpunk 2077 right now — like, before the game is officially out. Only on Xbox, however. The Xbox platform — regardless if you have a Series console or a One console — allows users to change their region and, even better, allows them to do it without checking against the IP address location of the console.
Because of that, you can start playing Cyberpunk 2077 right now, before it officially launches, by changing the region on your Xbox. In this quick guide, we’re going to show you how to play Cyberpunk 2077 right now on your Xbox.
How to change your Xbox region to play Cyberpunk 2077 early
This trick works by changing your region to a region where Cyberpunk 2077 is already out. In particular, it works with New Zealand. Cyberpunk 2077 unlocked at midnight in New Zealand. By changing your console region, you’re able to unlock the game early, too. Here’s how to do it:
- Press the Xbox button on your controller to bring up the guide.
- Select the Profile & System tab.
- Follow Settings > System > Language & Location.
- Select New Zealand from the Location dropdown.
- Select Restart Now.
That’s all you need to do. Once your Xbox restarts, it’ll recognize that New Zealand is your location and unlock Cyberpunk 2077. You’ll need Cyberpunk installed, but the game is available for pre-load on PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS4, and PS5 now, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
Note that this trick only works on Xbox consoles. PC, PS4, and PS5 owners will need to wait until the game officially unlocks tonight. You can see when Cyberpunk 2077 unlocks in your region below.
The wait is almost over!
If you're looking to play #Cyberpunk2077 as soon as it's available, here's a map with global release timings.
For PC and Stadia players, the release is simultaneous and scheduled for midnight GMT, and for all console players – midnight local time. pic.twitter.com/W0QLIFAhH1
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) December 3, 2020
Don’t worry about changing your region on your Xbox too much, either. Once Cyberpunk officially unlocks in your region, you can switch the region back on your console by following the steps above. If this trick doesn’t work for you, try disconnecting from the internet once you change your region (that way, the Xbox won’t be able to check).
We can confirm this trick is working now, though it’s unclear if Microsoft or CD Projekt Red will issue some sort of update that blocks it. Considering the game is mere hours away for most of the world, we doubt that will happen.
