Gamers switch Xbox region to New Zealand for early FH6 access

Some Xbox owners are changing their console region to New Zealand to access Forza Horizon 6 several hours before their local release. The change is made in Xbox Settings, followed by a console restart, and does not require additional hardware.

Players who own Forza Horizon 6 or have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and use the region change can start playing at New Zealand’s release window. New Zealand’s launch corresponds to 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. BST on Monday, May 18. Most regions see the full launch at midnight on May 18–19, while Pacific Time and Central Standard Time unlock at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on May 18, respectively.

Microsoft’s public guidance notes that purchases and Microsoft Store funds do not carry over when changing regions and that region settings are intended for people who move countries. The company has the technical ability to issue warnings, restrict accounts or block regions for accounts that access content outside their assigned region.

The region-change tactic has been used in previous game releases. Xbox’s Australia and New Zealand team referenced the practice after the Forza Horizon 5 launch in 2021, and online search activity rose as players sought early access to Forza Horizon 6.

Players who want to avoid any account risk can preload the game ahead of release and launch it when their local unlock time opens.