Horizon Zero Dawn – Preload and Release Unlock Times

In Horizon Zero Dawn players take on the role of Nora outcast, Aloy, as she is pulled into a mystery much larger than herself. Featuring a full open-world game, massive mechanized creatures, and over 30 hours of story content, Horizon Zero Dawn has a lot to offer PlayStation 4 players. In this article we’ll go over everything that players need to know to prepare for the game’s launch, including details on when Horizon Zero Dawn can be preloaded and what time the game unlocks.

Horizon Zero Dawn Unlock Time

Thanks to a new “Countdown to Launch” trailer released by Sony, we now know that Horizon Zero Dawn will be available to play as early as 9pm PST on February 27, which is midnight on February 28. If you preordered the game from somewhere else, like GameStop or Amazon, you’ll need to contact those outlets for more information about when to expect your copy of the game.

Now that you know when you can start playing, let’s take a look at when players can begin preloading Horizon Zero Dawn to make sure they’re ready for the game’s release on February 28.

Horizon Zero Dawn Preload Time

Thanks to the trailer we also know that Horizon Zero Dawn will begin preloading 48 hours prior to the game’s official release in the United States on February 28. We don’t yet know if this will affect the game’s March 1 launch outside of the US, as Sony has not clarified whether preloading will be available outside of the US at that time or not.

Since the game will unlock at midnight (EST) on February 28, we also know that the game will be available to preload as early as February 26, just a mere five days from now. By allowing users to preload this early, Sony is clearing the release time to make it easier for users to download the game’s impending day one patch, which will most likely drop close to release.

Horizon Zero Dawn will mark the first time that developers Guerilla Games have moved outside of their established and well-loved Killzone series in over ten years. While this has been cause for concern from many, the reviews and scores posted around the internet over the past few years appear to show that Guerilla played things smart when it came to Horizon Zero Dawn, and the game is already being praised as one of the greatest hits of the year.

Horizon Zero Dawn will officially release on February 28, in the United States, for the PlayStation 4. Other regions will need to wait until March 1, when the game releases worldwide. We’ll have more coverage on the game coming closer to launch, so check back often for updated information, guides, and walkthroughs. You can find all of our Horizon Zero Dawn coverage by heading over to our Horizon Zero Dawn guide.