Eager Hogwarts Legacy fans are spoofing their locations to play the game early

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Hogwarts Legacy's 72-hour Early Access period has begun - in New Zealand

Hogwarts Legacy tips and tricks
(Image credit: Avalanche Games)

Excited Hogwarts Legacy fans are doing everything they can to make time go faster, including spoofing their location so they can play the game early. 

As demonstrated in several posts in the Hogwarts Legacy subreddit, players are trying to play the game as soon as possible by changing their console's location to New Zealand, where the game's early access period has just begun. If you didn't know, those who pre-ordered the digital deluxe version of Hogwarts Legacy on PS5 or Xbox Series X are able to play the game at midnight (local time) on February 7, which has just passed in New Zealand.

xbox_players_today_with_their_time_turners from r/HarryPotterGame

A lot of the posts in the subreddit are from future players sending well wishes to those in New Zealand who are finally about to get their first hands-on experience of Hogwarts Legacy. It's in the comments of these posts that we see players from elsewhere in the world admitting to changing the location of their Xbox console or making new PSN accounts based in New Zealand just so they wouldn't have to wait those extra few hours. 

Unfortunately, PC players are having to wait even longer before the game's 72-hour early access period goes live. As revealed by developer Avalanche Software on Twitter, the global release time (for early access) begins on PC on February 7 but at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 9PM GMT - which is 21 hours after console players. 

PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X players should consider themselves lucky. PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch players are having to wait an additional few months before they can play their copies - with the previous gen version available in April and the Nintendo Switch release expected in July 2023. If you want to know exactly when you'll be able to play, take a look at our Hogwarts Legacy early access guide. 

Although she is not involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, GamesRadar+ acknowledges the role of J.K. Rowling in the creation of the Wizarding World, as well as her publicly-stated, harmful views regarding the rights of transgender people. If you'd like to offer your support to the communities affected by Rowling's rhetoric, consider donating to the National Center for Transgender Equality in the US, or Mermaids in the UK.

Hope Bellingham
Hope Bellingham
News Writer

After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training.  My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.