To play games early on PC, especially on platforms like Steam or Xbox PC Game Pass, a common and effective method is to use a VPN to change your virtual location to a region where the game releases earlier. The general steps involve:
- Pre-order or pre-load the game in your normal store.
- Close the game platform (e.g., Steam) completely.
- Use a reliable VPN to connect to a country or region that has an earlier release time (such as New Zealand, Japan, or Australia).
- Relaunch the game platform while connected to the VPN, which tricks it into thinking you are in that earlier time zone and unlocks the game early.
- You can then start playing the game before it officially launches in your actual region. Stay connected to the VPN during gameplay if necessary.
Popular VPNs for this purpose include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark, which offer many servers worldwide and strong privacy features. Note that while this method is widely used, there are some risks like account suspension, although reported cases are rare.
This "region trick" also works on Xbox and PlayStation by changing system and account region settings to an earlier release region, allowing early play on those platforms as well.
In summary, the key is to leverage time zone differences by switching your location via VPN to regions with earlier game releases and accessing the game through that virtual presence on your PC.