Hoyoverse has already seen massive success with its gacha games Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, but that doesn’t mean the developer is ready for a break. Just over a year after the release of Honkai Star Rail, it’s launching Zenless Zone Zero, an action RPG in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting. If you’re itching to dive into the new Hoyoverse RPG, here’s when you can start playing Zenless Zone Zero in your time zone.
What is the Zenless Zone Zero release time?
Zenless Zone Zero launches at the same time worldwide, so some players will first get access on the night of July 3, while others won’t get to start playing until mid-day on July 4. The official release time for Zenless Zone Zero is July 4 at 10 a.m. UTC+8, which means players in North America will get a chance to play a few hours before heading to bed if they’re particularly motivated to get started.
Here’s what time Zenless Zone Zero unlocks across the world:
- North America, West Coast: July 3 at 7 p.m. PT
- North America, East Coast: July 3 at 10 p.m. ET
- U.K.: July 4 at 3 a.m. BST
- Europe: July 4 at 4 a.m. CEST
- Japan: July 4 at 11 a.m. JST
- Australia: July 4 at 12 p.m. AET
What platforms is Zenless Zone Zero releasing on?
At release time, Zenless Zone Zero will be available on PC, iOS, Android, and PlayStation 5. Hoyoverse has not announced any plans to bring the game to Nintendo Switch or Xbox Series X/S, and it seems unlikely that it will make its way to those consoles. Currently, none of Hoyoverse’s other games are available on Nintendo Switch or Xbox, and though a Switch port of Genshin Impact was once announced, there’s been no word of it since. So if you only play on Xbox or Switch and want to get your hands on Zenless Zone Zero, you’re probably better off trying the mobile version than waiting for a port that will likely never materialize.
Can you preload Zenless Zone Zero?
Yes! No matter what your local Zenless Zone Zero launch time is, you can start playing as soon as it’s available by preloading the game first. Preloading began on the morning of July 2 on all platforms.
On iOS and Android, you can preload just by heading to the App Store or Play Store, searching for Zenless Zone Zero, and clicking install.
On PlayStation 5, find the game on PSN and select “pre-order,” then you’ll get the option to preload. However, the only option to preload the game currently on PlayStation is buying a $10 bundle that includes some in-game items. If you don’t want to shell out the money for in-game currency, you can still download Zenless Zone Zero free on release, but you won’t have the option to preload it.
If you’re playing on PC, you first need to download the HoYoPlay client from the Hoyoverse website to preload Zenless Zone Zero. This is the launcher Hoyoverse uses for all of its games on PC, so after installing it, you still need to select Zenless Zone Zero on the games list and manually start the preload. Or, you can choose to play through the Epic Games Store. If you’re using that method, you just need to head to the game’s page and click the “Get” button.
Once you’ve preloaded the game on any platform, it’s a good idea to try starting it. You won’t be able to get into the game early, but this will at least ensure you have all the files you need to start it after launch.
