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GTA 6 Wanted System: Six Stars and the Criminal Profile
The short version
GTA 6’s police are built around information. Rob Nelson, co-studio head at Rockstar North, says a crime has to be seen by a witness, or set off an alarm, before it reaches the law. Once it does, preview coverage says officers work from a profile of what they saw, not an automatic knowledge of where you are.
Six stars
Press coverage of Rockstar’s preview reports that the wanted level now reaches six stars, one more than GTA 5’s cap. We haven’t seen Rockstar publish what separates stars five and six, so we don’t describe the response at that level.
What police can recognise (reported)
According to GamesRadar and others, officers build a description from four things:
| Detail | What it means in play |
|---|---|
| Your face | A mask or a haircut can change what’s recognised |
| Your clothes | Only a full outfit change hides them |
| Your vehicle | Swapping cars breaks the match |
| Whether you’re together | Splitting Jason and Lucia up helps |
These details come from press previews rather than a Rockstar rulebook, so exact thresholds and timers are unconfirmed.
The Criminal Profile
Separate from the police, the Criminal Profile is new to the series. Nelson says it replaces the honor meter from Red Dead Redemption 2. It doesn’t ask whether Jason and Lucia are good or bad. It records the kind of criminals they become, with clean, professional crimes treated differently from messy violence.
Rockstar hasn’t said whether the profile changes missions, dialogue or rewards, so we only claim what’s been stated.
How to avoid attention
Based on what’s been reported:
- Avoid witnesses, or crimes that trigger alarms.
- Change your outfit, not just a hat.
- Swap vehicles once you’re out of sight.
- Cover your face before the crime if you want to stay unidentified on CCTV.
- Think about whether you’re travelling as a pair.
What we still don’t know
- The full rules for stars one to six.
- Whether police recognition resets over time or by area.
- How the Criminal Profile feeds back into the story.
For everything else confirmed so far, see our gameplay features page and the August 27 presentation breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
Does GTA 6 have six wanted stars?
Press coverage of Rockstar's preview reports a six-star wanted level, up from GTA 5's five. Rockstar's own materials haven't been quoted with a full breakdown, so treat the details as reported.
What is the GTA 6 Criminal Profile?
A new system that Rob Nelson says replaces Red Dead 2's honor meter. It tracks the style of criminal you are, such as how professional your crimes are, instead of rating you good or bad.
How do you lose the police in GTA 6?
Reports say police track your face, clothes and car, so changing outfit, swapping vehicles, hiding a face with a mask or splitting up from your partner can help. Exact rules haven't been published.
Do police see every crime?
No. Nelson says a crime needs a witness or a set-off alarm to be reported to the police.
Is the Criminal Profile the same as honor in Red Dead 2?
No. Nelson describes it as a replacement for the honor meter, built around the style of crime rather than a moral score.
Keep reading on GTA6Maps
Sources
- GamesRadar: GTA 6 wanted system goes up to 6 stars
- Beebom: GTA 6 confirms six-star wanted level and smarter police pursuits
- TechSpot: an 80-hour story and a 3x bigger map
Facts last checked Oct 6, 2026. Where something is reported rather than officially confirmed, we say so. We’ll update this article as Rockstar shares more.