GTA 6 Wanted System Explained: Six Stars and Your Record

Grand Theft Auto VI’s wanted system is the biggest change to policing in the series since GTA V. Everything below comes from Rockstar’s Extended Look, released on 27 August 2026 and captured in-game on PS5.

Six stars

The wanted level returns with up to six stars. GTA V capped at five, so the top tier is new, and Rockstar has not described exactly what it adds. The launch trailer closes on police confrontations and helicopters, which suggests sustained high-level pursuits feature in the story too.

Police remember what you look like

Police in GTA VI factor in your clothing, your appearance and your vehicle. A crime leaves a description, and that description can follow you. This is the key difference from GTA V, where breaking line of sight was usually enough.

Ways to shake a description, as shown or described:

• Change clothes.
• Dump, swap or burn a compromised vehicle.
• Hide, including in a car boot.

Breaking a chase

The Extended Look shows that shooting the tyres of pursuing police cars is an effective way to end a chase in Vice City. Heavier vehicle handling also makes tight turns and braking more decisive than in GTA V.

The criminal profile

Separate from the stars, GTA VI tracks a criminal profile that records how you behave across the game, such as unnecessary violence. Unlike a wanted level, it does not reset when you escape. Rockstar has not explained exactly what the profile affects; comparisons are often drawn with Red Dead Redemption 2’s honour system.

Visible consequences

Constant pursuit leaves Jason and Lucia looking exhausted, part of a wider system where sleep, stress, diet and exercise change how they look. See the Extended Look breakdown for the full list.

What Rockstar has not said

• What changes at six stars compared with five.
• How long a description stays active.
• Whether the criminal profile changes story outcomes, prices or how characters treat you.

We will update this guide after launch with tested escape methods. Everything else confirmed is on everything we know.