BlackOps6 is the latest entry in the very long-running Black Ops wing of Activision’s Call of Duty series. More specialized in alternate history and espionage than other Call of Duty games, BlackOps6 launches with a new campaign set during the height of the Gulf War.

As usual, the game offers a campaign, multiplayer and a zombie mode. Unlike last year Modern Warfare 3there is no early access period, but know that BlackOps6 is currently available for pre-loading for all players on all platforms, so you can start playing as soon as it’s available.

Here it is what time BlackOps6 releasesincluding a breakdown of when it’s available on which platforms and whether you can play it on Game Pass or not.

BlackOps6 releases on PC (both Steam and Battle.net). 9:00 PM PDT on Thursday, October 24.

Here is the BlackOps6 release time on PC in your time zone:

For those who play on the PC Microsoft Store, which follows the same timing as the console versions, as shown in the next section…

For PlayStation and Xbox players, as well as those on the PC Microsoft Store, BlackOps6 will release at midnight local time – in other words, as soon as it’s Friday, October 25, wherever you are.

This has led to a now infamous ‘New Zealand trick’, where Call of Duty players move their region to New Zealand in order to play the game early on Thursday.

Please note that this is at your own risk; While Activision, Sony, or Microsoft haven’t historically taken action against players who do this, it could technically be against their terms of service – so weigh this up if this is something you’re considering.

BlackOps6 is the first Call of Duty game to launch on Xbox Game Pass, following Microsoft’s official acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year. However, there is a small catch here. Game Pass Core and Game Pass Standard subscribers will not have access to this Call of Duty: Black Ops6 at launch.

In other words, BlackOps6 Launches only for PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. If you already have one of these levels, you can play with everyone else on launch day. If not, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher Game Pass tier or purchase the game separately.

BlackOps6 is the return of the subseries that began over a decade ago, and takes alternate history and applies it to the Gulf War and America in the early 1990s. As usual, the game comes with the three big Call of Duty staples: campaign, multiplayer and zombies. Unlike last year’s title, this zombie mode returns to the classic round-based variety.

The big new feature for this game is omnimovementwhich drastically improves players’ ability to maneuver the battlefield in and out of combat.