Rockstar's Rob Nelson tells IGN about GTA 6's Criminal Profile and witness-based Wanted system

Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson told IGN that a Wanted level in GTA 6 only starts when someone witnesses a crime or an alarm goes off, in an interview IGN published on August 27, 2026. IGN also described a new Criminal Profile, which it called a "spiritual successor" to the Honor system in Red Dead Redemption 2. Both come from IGN's exclusive visit to Rockstar North, where it watched Nelson play about 30 minutes of the game.

On the Wanted system, Nelson said: "The Wanted system in GTA 6 requires that someone witness the crime, or an alarm needs to be set off for it to be reported to the law." IGN said police may learn what you look like, what you are wearing and driving, and whether you are a couple or on your own. Changing any of those can help you escape, and Nelson pointed out that the couple could split up to lower the police's perception of them. He said one star is "not going to be too difficult" to get away from, while at three stars in the city it can be hard to escape in a vehicle unless it is very fast.

The Criminal Profile is separate from the Wanted level. IGN said it shifts depending on your actions in the world, and that small things seemed to count as well as big ones: throwing trash in a bin appeared to help, and Nelson said feeding animals will be another option. IGN described shooting back at an aggressor as a reasonable response, while escalating a fight you could have walked away from would change your profile.

Nelson said the profile is not meant to push you toward being a perfect citizen. "There isn't a right or wrong way to play this game," he said, adding that consistent actions may affect how the world responds to you and how the story unfolds. He said the sway comes when you go beyond what is necessary "on a consistent basis".

Nelson also said that in earlier GTA games you were quite overpowered compared with everyone except the police. In GTA 6, he told IGN, "you are not the only one capable of violence".

There are gaps. IGN did not lay out the Criminal Profile's tiers or what each one changes, and Rockstar had not published a full breakdown of the Wanted system or its star levels. IGN's account comes from a hands-off demo and an interview, not a finished build.