Grand Theft Auto 6 will substantially update its familiar Wanted system by making police responses depend on witness reports and detailed suspect descriptions. The changes matter because players will be able to evade attention through believable actions such as changing clothes, abandoning a recognised vehicle or separating from an accomplice, rather than simply escaping an area.

The game returns to a six-star Wanted scale, while police may identify a suspect by clothing, vehicle and whether they were seen with another character. A new Criminal Profile will track consistent behaviour and influence how the world and story respond, distinguishing justified self-defence from needless escalation. Rockstar says players are not expected to be model citizens, but repeated unnecessary violence or disruption will shape their profile more negatively, while kinder actions such as feeding stray animals may improve it.