Black Ops 6 release countdown: Start time, timezones, preload, and more

Our release countdown for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 tells you exactly what you need to know about one of the biggest releases (if not the biggest) of 2024.

Treyarch has commandeered the CoD development helm again, and has been working on Black Ops 6 for four years. In this time, we’ve seen Vanguard, Modern Warfare 2, and Modern Warfare 3 all come and go, but now it’s time for the deepest, darkest recesses of American history to be opened and even retold once more.

BO6 is set to launch with 16 multiplayer maps, all-new weapons and operators, a blockbuster campaign mode featuring new characters and returning legends, and the return of round-based Zombies maps. The free-to-play Warzone battle royale will get new Black Ops 6 content during season one of BO6, which is likely to begin some time this December before the year comes to an end.

BO6 already promises to be a rollercoaster ride with a litany of new features, and if you’re excited—like me—we have its release date and launch time details below.

When can I play Black Ops 6?

Oct. 25, 2024 is the official release date for Black Ops 6. But when you can start playing it is a different story altogether, and that includes multiplayer, campaign, or Zombies, which all become available at once this year.

Activision decided against releasing the campaign in early access in 2024 (this previously occurred with MW3 and MW2 the past two years), meaning the whole suite of the game will come together at the same time, forcing players to make a choice between what mode they will want to play first.

But thanks to a rolling release, you could be playing it in the morning on Oct. 24 depending on your region, or have to wait all the way until midnight.

Black Ops 6 preload time countdown

The preload for Black Ops 6 goes live on all platforms on Monday, Oct. 21, at 8am CT. Below, a countdown shows exactly how long it is until that time.

Once the game is fully preloaded, all that’s left to do is wait until you can play it. But, depending on how much effort you’d like to put in, along with your region and platform, you could be playing the game way sooner than friends.

When does Call of Duty Black Ops 6 come out?

Black Ops 6 has different release times depending on your platform and time zone. PC, Xbox, and PlayStation players will all eventually come together with crossplay once BO6 is out, but launch day begins for different regions and platforms all throughout Oct. 25.

Black Ops 6 New Zealand countdown

For Xbox, Microsoft Store, and PlayStation, the game is live starting at 6am CT, which is the beginning of the day in New Zealand time. If you are in New Zealand or switch your console’s region to NZ (commonly known as the “New Zealand trick,” you can play then.

Here’s how long until that time:

Black Ops 6 global launch countdown

Black Ops 6 will be fully available for every region and platform after midnight Eastern time, when it goes live for PC players on Steam and Battle.net. Any time before that, it will roll out on PC at midnight on Oct. 25 in your specific timezone whether you are on PC or console.

This means that West Coast gamers win the prize of getting able to play at 9pm local time, which is 11pm CT. Lucky you.