God of War Ragnarok Release Time: How to Play the Game Early

God of War: Ragnarok launches worldwide tomorrow, and players can’t wait to get their hands on the most anticipated game of the year. 

Those players who want to play the game at the earliest might want to find out the exact release time and also a way to play the game early. Be warned that while the game can be played early, the method to do so is a bit of a hassle. 

This tedious trick to play God of War Ragnarok early requires you to jump through a number of hoops and buy the game twice. It’s a difficult trick but if you are hellbent on playing the game early, then this is the way to go. 

When does God of War: Ragnarok release? 

Everyone who pre-ordered God of War Ragnarok will be able to start playing the game as soon as the clock strikes midnight and the calendar turns to November 9. Except for gamers from New Zealand and Australia, as the game has already launched for them at 9 PM on November 8, which is today. 

The only exception is North America, where it’ll release everywhere once it hits midnight on the East Coast. Players on the West Coast can play it at 9 PM on November 8.

Here are the exact release times for God of War Ragnarok: 

Tuesday, November 8

• 🇺🇸 US: 9 PM PT 

• 🇺🇸 US: 10 PM MT (Western) 

• 🇺🇸 US: 11 PM CT

Wednesday, November 9

• 🇨🇦 Canada: 12 AM (Midnight) ET

• 🇺🇸 US: 12 AM (Midnight) ET

• 🇧🇷 Brazil: 12 AM (Midnight) BRT

• 🇬🇧 UK: 12 AM (Midnight) GMT 

• 🇸🇪 Swexen: 12 AM (Midnight) CEST 

• 🇩🇪 Germany: 12 AM (Midnight) CEST 

• 🇰🇷 Korea: 12 AM (Midnight) KST 

• 🇯🇵 Japan: 12 AM (Midnight) JST 

• 🇦🇺 Australia: 12 AM (Midnight) AEDT 

• 🇳🇿 New Zealand: 12 AM (Midnight) NZDT

How to play God of War Ragnarok early? 

For players to get early access to God of War Ragnarok, they need to create a PlayStation account with New Zealand listed as the player’s location. After creating the new account, players need to buy God of Ragnarok from the New Zealand PS Store with New Zealand dollars. Follow the steps below to play the game early:

• Head to the PlayStation NZ site

• Click or tap ‘Sign In’ at the top right of the screen

• Press the ‘Create New Account’ button

• Add all of your details, using a different email from your normal PS and set the location to New Zealand

• If you need some New Zealand address details, here is an example: 
  • Street: 91 Tom Ayers Drive
  • City: Pines Beach
  • Area: Kaiapoi
  • Zip Code: 7630

• Find a reputable seller of PlayStation NZ wallet cards

• Purchase PSN Wallet Cards in the amount necessary
  • Standard Edition (PS4) – $124.95 NZD
  • Standard Edition (PS5) – $139.95 NZD
  • Digital Deluxe Edition (PS4/5) – $159.95 NZD

• Log in to your NZ PSN account on your console

• Redeem the wallet codes in the PlayStation Store
  • PS5: Go to Settings, then User and Accounts. Select Account, then Payment & Subscriptions, then Redeem Code.
  • PS4: Go to the PlayStation Store, and scroll down the sidebar until you find Redeem Code.

Then, all you need to do is purchase God of War Ragnarok for PlayStation 4 or 5, whichever console you’re going to play on. 

This trick isn’t really useful if you’ve already purchased God of War Ragnarok, as it would mean you need to purchase the game once again, spending twice the amount of money. 

It would be a good time for players to catch up on the God of War lore and find out about the story of God of War so far before Ragnarok begins. Get a quick recap before God of War Ragnarok so that you don’t miss out on any important details when playing the game. 

About God of War Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok is an action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released on November 9, 2022, for PS4 and PS5.

Ragnarok is the ninth installment in the God of War series, chronologically, and the sequel to 2018’s God of War. Loosely based on Norse mythology, the game is set in ancient Norway and features series protagonists Kratos and his young son Atreus. The events of the game are expected to initiate Ragnarok – a series of events that, according to Norse lore, bring about the end of days and the death of the Norse gods.