On this page
DIRECT ANSWER
September 8 at 9 AM Pacific, everywhere at once
What time it unlocks where you are
The developer published a single unlock hour rather than a per-region rollout, so one conversion covers everyone.
Nine in the morning Pacific during September falls in PDT, seven hours behind UTC. That puts the moment the servers open at 16:00 UTC.
From there the usual offsets apply, and the date rolls over for anyone far enough east.
| Time zone | Local date | Local time |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific (PDT) | September 8, 2026 | 9:00 AM |
| Eastern (EDT) | September 8, 2026 | 12:00 PM |
| UTC | September 8, 2026 | 16:00 |
| British Summer Time | September 8, 2026 | 5:00 PM |
| Beijing / Singapore (UTC+8) | September 9, 2026 | 12:00 AM |
A weekday error worth knowing about
The official announcement calls September 8, 2026 a Friday. It is a Tuesday. The date itself is consistent everywhere the developer states it, so the day name is the part that slipped, not the date — but several aggregator pages have copied the weekday rather than checking it.
If you have seen "Friday launch" repeated elsewhere, that is where it came from. The September 4 early access date genuinely is a Friday, which is probably how the two got crossed.
Early access came with the Deluxe edition, not with pre-ordering
The announced pre-order bonus window runs until September 8, 2026 at 9 AM PT. The developer confirms that buying Digital Deluxe during early access includes the pre-order bonuses as well as access during that window.
- Digital Deluxe — playable from September 4, 9 AM PT
- Digital Standard — playable from September 8, 9 AM PT
- Pre-order window for the Phantom skin ends Sept 8, 9 AM PT
- A Deluxe upgrade path exists after launch for Standard owners
The disc release is a different date and a shorter platform list
Physical copies were announced for October 6, 2026, roughly four weeks after the digital release, and only for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. No PC disc is listed. That gap matters if you were planning to wait for a boxed copy on PC — as things stand there is not one to wait for.
The physical editions also carry their own cosmetic bundles rather than mirroring the digital Deluxe contents.
What could still move
Release timing is the kind of fact that stops being true quietly. Regional storefronts occasionally shift a listing, and physical dates slip more often than digital ones.
Everything above comes from the official announcements. The Steam and Xbox listings are the fastest way to confirm nothing has moved, and the developer news index carries any revision.
If your copy is still locked, check the entitlement first
Begin with the product shown in your account’s library or purchase history. A pre-order receipt establishes ownership of the product you bought; it does not give every edition the Deluxe start time. Check whether the listing is Standard, Digital Deluxe, an upgrade or a physical order before interpreting a disabled play button.
Next, compare the announced hour with your local date. A September 9 calendar entry in East Asia can describe the same global unlock as September 8 in North America. Changing the device clock is not a substitute for the store’s entitlement check, and there is no need to repurchase because two regions show different dates.
If your eligible window has begun, check whether the storefront still has an installation or update pending. Record the exact status or error before troubleshooting. A locked library entry, a failed download and a crash after opening the game are different stages; keeping them separate helps the storefront or developer understand the request.
For a physical order, inspect the seller’s delivery estimate instead. The publisher’s release date is not a tracking update for your parcel. Contact the retailer about shipping and the storefront about digital ownership. This wiki cannot change either entitlement.
- Identify the actual product in your own account.
- Use the correct digital or physical release window.
- Convert the digital hour once, retaining its local date.
- Separate access, installation, launch and matchmaking symptoms.
- Keep the receipt and exact error for the appropriate support channel.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a midnight launch?
No. The unlock is tied to 9 AM Pacific rather than to local midnight, so most regions get access during the working day and East Asia gets it at midnight only by coincidence of the offset.
Can I still get the Phantom Michael Myers skin?
Phantom is tied to digital pre-orders, and the developer says it will not be sold after launch. The announced standard unlock is September 8 at 16:00 UTC. Check the current storefront deadline and included entitlements; after launch, the announcement provides no separate purchase route.
Does buying the Deluxe upgrade now give retroactive early access?
Early access runs from September 4 to September 8, 2026 at 9 AM PT. Buying the Digital Deluxe edition during that window grants access for the remaining time. After the standard unlock, early access is over; check the storefront for the contents of any upgrade offer.