GTA 6 introduces a Criminal Profile, new to the series, that tracks what kind of criminal Jason and Lucia are, and a relationship between the two that you build by spending time together. Rockstar has published no feature list: almost everything known comes from hands-off demos that Rob Nelson, co-studio head of Rockstar North, played in July for IGN and the French magazine Trois Couleurs, whose previews went online on August 27, 2026.
The Criminal Profile: what kind of criminal you are
IGN, which watched Nelson play for 30 minutes, calls it an upgraded take on Red Dead Redemption 2's Honor system, minus the clear-cut morality. There is no right or wrong way to play, Nelson says, but "consistent actions may have an impact" on how the world reacts to you and how the story plays out.
What you do on missions, in robberies or when someone comes at you is "all fair game", he told IGN; consistently going beyond what is necessary is what shifts the profile. Escalating a scene you could have walked away from counts, as do small civic acts: binning litter seemed to help in the demo, and so does feeding animals. You can be, he told Trois Couleurs, "a more professional one, or more of a loose cannon".
Neither outlet names the profile's levels. PC Gamer, relaying the video preview of YouTuber TGG, also invited to Rockstar North, reports four states, Professional, Aggressive, Violent and Psycho, plus a "shattered" fifth in which the meter cracks and can no longer change. How much the profile changes the story is not known.
Jason and Lucia: switching and the relationship
As in GTA 5, you can switch between the two at any time in the open world, IGN reports, except when the story disables it, and call or text the other to join you.
The relationship is a separate system. Jason and Lucia start out wanting a romance, but missions alone "may not be enough to keep them together", Nelson told IGN: time together is what counts, from exploring, shopping and workouts to pool, kayaking and robberies as a pair. Ignoring your partner's texts can hurt it.
A strong romance brings no gameplay benefit, and you cannot make them break up. "They will remain partners in crime," Nelson says, but how close they are shapes how their story plays out.
Police and the wanted level
Police only respond if an NPC witnesses a crime or an alarm goes off. The six-star wanted level returns, after GTA 5's five.
Icons under your stars show what police know: your appearance, clothes, car and whether they want a couple. A haircut clears your appearance, but only a whole new outfit hides your clothes, hence IGN's tip to keep one in your car's trunk. A mask, removed as you flee, can keep your description from police even on CCTV, and swapping cars or splitting up also helps.
With three stars in the city, a car escape "can sometimes be challenging", Nelson told IGN; alleys on foot often work better.
Money, robberies and car theft
Money matters more to the story than before, IGN says: some main missions wait until you raise enough. "You have a bank account and cash now," Nelson told Trois Couleurs, and cash you have not deposited is lost if you die.
Robberies trade greed against speed: explosives open a safe fast but damage the loot, while finding the combination pays more but gives police time to arrive. The Waink phone app, only glimpsed in the demo, scans a parked car for its value, registration cost, alarm and tracker; older cars open with a slim jim, prestige ones need a key cloner, and carjacking a driver always works.
Hairdressers, buildings and animals
"You can enter a lot of buildings, a lot, a huge number," Nelson told Trois Couleurs, without giving a figure. Safehouses are "closer to the camps in RDR2", he told IGN: you can trim or shave your hair and beard there, and other people drop in.
New cuts need a salon or barber, and every salon and clothing store has exclusive items; Trois Couleurs watched a trip to the hairdresser. The gym builds muscle, while overeating adds weight, IGN reports.
At the zoo or in the wild, you can study animals, and each new one is checked off a list, as in Red Dead Redemption 2. Our article on Game Informer's cover story covers the wildlife itself.
Rockstar only says that the Extended Look, premiered on Netflix on August 27, "showcases the biggest, most immersive evolution of the series yet"; our guide to the trailers covers it. GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S: the GTA 6 hub counts down, and our map of Leonida is a community reconstruction, not an official map.
