GTA 6 tracks Jason and Lucia on a Criminal Profile that runs from Professional to Irredeemable, shown with angel and devil icons. Rockstar told Edge the scale is not cosmetic: it can change how their story unfolds. You choose what kind of criminal they are, not whether they are criminals.
- NextRelease time by countryMidnight-local unlock in every store region.
- NextPre-load timeWhen downloads open on 10 November.
- NextStorage checkerWill it fit? Free-space calculator for every console.
These details come from Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson's on-the-record session for Edge issue 430, published in full on GamesRadar+ on 29 October 2026. We opened that feature, plus PC Gamer and GamesHub write-ups, on 6 November 2026 (AEDT). They are pre-release descriptions, not findings from our own playthrough. Reported [1] [2] [3]
What Criminal Profile is
Edge describes a system called Criminal Profile that watches how you play as Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. The scale runs from Professional to Irredeemable and is represented by angel and devil icons. [1] PC Gamer, covering the same interview the next day, uses the same endpoints and icons. [1]
Combat does not have to end in death. Edge says a calculating criminal might incapacitate an enemy rather than kill them, or try threats and intimidation first. Players who shoot first and ask questions later develop a violent profile. [1]
Rockstar says the profile will influence how Jason and Lucia's story unfolds, so the choices are not only cosmetic. [1] Edge is also clear about the limit: you can choose what kind of criminal you are, but not whether you are one. You cannot walk away and become something else entirely. [1]
Honor, karma and morality — the search terms
People searching for a GTA 6 honor system, karma system or morality system are pointing at this. PC Gamer explicitly compared it with a "souped-up" Red Dead Redemption 2-style morality system. [1] Edge itself says Red Dead Redemption 2 had a profound influence on the team's narrative ambitions, and that Criminal Profile is how that idea shows up in GTA 6. [1]
Unknown Edge and the write-ups we opened do not publish a scoring formula, a list of every story beat the profile changes, or a promise of multiple endings. Treat "best ending" guides as speculation until the game is out and we can check them.
The heat system (wanted level)
Police response is built around what the world knows about you, not only a star count. Edge describes a heat system that tracks your physical description, whether you were working alone or with a partner, what you were wearing, whether CCTV captured you, and what weapon you were carrying. Those details appear as icons at the top of the screen — the contents of the police report you are trying to outrun. [1]
- If witnesses saw two people, splitting up from your partner can drop that identifying feature.
- Change your clothes and you no longer match the description as closely.
- Drop the weapon and another piece of evidence disappears.
Escape is no longer only waiting for stars to fade; it is making yourself less recognisable. [1] GamesHub summarised the same point: police remember clothing, weapons, vehicles and CCTV sightings, so swapping or ditching those items cuts down what they have on you. [1]
Edge also describes knock-on details around crime itself: some drivers flee a carjacking, others are armed and fight back; a newer car may hide a tracker; owners can report a theft; police can lay a stinger; K-9 units can join a chase. [1] We have not seen a full "jail time" system described beyond being caught.
Jason and Lucia's relationship
A separate four-point scale tracks how close the couple are. It typically increases the more time you spend together: walks on the beach, cycling, working out at the gym once they have membership, or driving around with one at the wheel and the other on their phone. [1] You can switch between them when the story allows, as in GTA 5. [1]
Nelson would not confirm or deny whether they can marry. They also cannot fully turn away from each other: they are partners in crime, on the run together. [1] GamesHub reported the same four-point scale and the declined marriage question. [1]
Story gating and money
Some story missions do not start until Jason and Lucia have the cash. Edge says that might mean holding up a gas station or jewellery store, or stealing a car a fence has asked for through a phone app called WAINK, which lists models, security features and trackers. [1] GamesHub reported the same cash gate. [1]
Related systems from the same feature, useful context rather than part of the profile itself: owned cars can be summoned through the Scooter Bros app, the arsenal sits in a vehicle boot (trunk), and Leonida has working bus and train routes. [1] [2]
More from the same Edge issue: GTA 6 weather, map size, the 12 new screenshots and Jason and Lucia.
Where to go next
Planning launch night? Check your local unlock hour on the GTA 6 release time table, when pre-load opens, and whether 212 GB will fit. Explore Leonida on the interactive map, and bookmark GTA 6 cheats, which lists only codes we can verify once the game is out. More explainers: all GTA 6 guides.
FAQ
What is GTA 6's Criminal Profile?
It tracks how you play as Jason and Lucia on a scale from Professional to Irredeemable, shown with angel and devil icons. Rockstar told Edge it can influence how their story unfolds.
Does GTA 6 have an honor or karma system?
Yes, in effect: Criminal Profile is the name Rockstar used with Edge. PC Gamer compared it with Red Dead Redemption 2's morality system. There is no official scoring sheet yet.
Can I play GTA 6 without killing people?
Edge says combat need not always end in death: you can incapacitate someone or try threats and intimidation first. You are still playing as criminals.
Does GTA 6 have a wanted or heat system?
Yes. Edge describes a heat system that tracks what police know — description, partner, clothing, CCTV and weapon — as icons you try to shed.
Can Jason and Lucia get married in GTA 6?
Rockstar declined to confirm or deny it. Their closeness is tracked on a four-point scale. Unknown until the game is out.