GTA 6 Wanted System Explained: Star Levels and Icons in Grand Theft Auto VI

The GTA 6 wanted system brings back the familiar star system while adding several new ways for police to identify and track Jason and Lucia. Grand Theft Auto VI returns to six wanted stars, but the wanted levels are now more nuanced than before.

Police in GTA 6 now track details such as your appearance, clothing, vehicle, CCTV sightings, and whether you are traveling with your duo. How will the wanted system work in GTA 6 when all these systems come together? Here is everything Rockstar has confirmed so far.

GTA 6 Wanted System: What’s New?

The biggest GTA 6 wanted system changes are the return of six stars and the introduction of a more detailed police tracking system. GTA 5 uses five wanted stars, while the sequel brings six for the first time since 2009’s Chinatown Wars. We will have to wait for more details on the requirements for every wanted star level in GTA VI.

The wanted level system also depends on how much information the police have about a GTA 6 character. A crime needs to be witnessed or reported through an alarm before the police are alerted. Once they receive a report, the dispatch system tracks specific information about the suspect.

GTA 6 has six wanted stars displayed on the HUD. The exact crimes required to reach each level are not fully confirmed. Rockstar has shown that a basic crime can produce a low wanted level, while escalating violence increases the police response.

The GTA 6 wanted level system also uses different star appearances to show what the police know about a crime. Hollow, solid white, flashing white, and red stars communicate different stages of police awareness.

What Do the GTA 6 Wanted Stars Mean?

A hollow star appears when police know that a crime has happened but have no information identifying the person responsible is Jason or Lucia in GTA 6. Police investigate the area without immediately targeting the player. This means the crime is not reported yet.

After the hollow star, flashing white stars appear, which indicate that police don’t have your vision. However, the pursuit is still on.

A solid white-filled star indicates that police have information about the suspect and can actively search for them. This happens when you are in direct line of sight with the police.

Red stars indicate that police are actively pursuing the player, but you have lost the cops. If you enter that ‘heat zone’ again, it changes. If you reach six stars, this red stars ‘heat zone’ spreads to the entire map.

Changing your clothing or vehicle can reduce the information police have, even while the wanted level remains active. You can also separate yourself from your partner to instantly reduce a level.

GTA 6 Wanted System Icons Explained

The police wanted system tracks several details about Jason and Lucia instead of relying only on their GTA 6 map location. Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson confirms that police can know what a character looks like, what they are wearing, what vehicle they are using, and whether Jason and Lucia are together.

This information appears through red icons underneath the wanted stars. It works as a criminal profile in GTA 6, similar to how the honor system works in Red Dead Redemption 2. The more information police have, the easier it becomes for them to locate the suspect.

Icon	What Police Know
Weapon	Police know a weapon is involved in the crime and may have information about the weapon being used.
Person	Police have a physical description of the suspect.
Clothing Hanger	Police know what the suspect is wearing.
Two People	Police know Jason and Lucia are together as a pair.
CCTV Camera	Police have footage of the suspect from a security camera.
Vehicle	Police know what vehicle the suspect is using.

How Crimes Trigger the Wanted Level

The GTA 6 wanted level system requires someone to witness the crime or an alarm to be triggered. This means police do not automatically receive information about every crime the moment it happens.

As per the hands-off report, one demo involving Jason demonstrates this. Jason points a weapon at a group of aggressors without firing. The group runs away, the crime is reported, and police arrive, but the wanted level remains low because the situation does not escalate into violence.

Escalating a confrontation raises the wanted level in Grand Theft Auto VI. Staying in the area where a crime occurs also makes it easier for police to find you. So, there is no fighting your way out using the GTA 6 weapons unless you want to change ‘WANTED’ to ‘HUNTED’.

GTA 6 Wanted Level Is Tied to Specific Areas

The GTA 6 police wanted system tracks heat in specific areas of the map. A crime scene can remain marked as a hot area after you escape, and returning to that location can bring the wanted level back.

Rockstar describes this as a regional heat system. Players can wait for the situation to cool down before returning to an area where police are still looking for them. This is clearly shown in the GTA 6 extended look breakdown where Lucia drives the car into a safe place before burning it down.

This gives the GTA 6 wanted level system a longer memory than the standard police chase seen in earlier games. Escaping the immediate pursuit does not necessarily mean the area has completely forgotten about the crime.

How to Escape or Lower Your Wanted Level in GTA 6

There are several confirmed ways to make it harder for police to identify or track Jason and Lucia. We will share more ways to lower stars in GTA 6 as further details arrive.

• Change your clothes: Police can identify your clothing, so switching outfits can remove one source of information.
• Carry spare clothes: Jason’s personal vehicle can store additional outfits in the trunk, allowing you to change without visiting a clothing store. Changing hairstyles in GTA 6 can also be a good option.
• Change your appearance: Adding items such as a hat, glasses, or bandanas in GTA 6 can alter your physical description.
• Change vehicles: If police know which vehicle you are using, abandoning it removes that information from their search.
• Split Jason and Lucia: If police know the pair are together, separating them lowers the police’s perception of the suspects. Just switch protagonists in GTA 6 and keep a distance until everything cools down.
• Destroy or abandon a known vehicle: Police can lose track of your vehicle in GTA 6 after you switch away from it.
• Avoid unnecessary violence: Keeping a confrontation from becoming violent can result in a lower wanted level.
• Use masks during crimes: Covering your face can limit the appearance information witnesses provide to police.
• Avoid being seen: Witnesses and CCTV can provide police with additional information, making stealth useful during crimes.
• Leave the crime scene: Moving away before police arrive can prevent the situation from escalating.
• Tell your partner to flee: The other character can leave during an encounter to take some attention away from you. Using the phone in GTA 6 is the best way to communicate with your partner and avoid conflicts.

Can You Lose the Police in GTA 6?

Yes, but escaping the police involves more than simply driving until the wanted stars disappear. Players can actively remove information from the police search by changing clothing, switching vehicles, separating Jason and Lucia, or leaving the area where the crime occurred.

A one-star wanted level is shown as relatively easy to escape. Three stars or more create a tougher chase in the city, making vehicle choice and route selection more important.

The police can also continue looking for suspects after the immediate chase ends. Returning to a hot area can reactivate the existing heat, so escaping the pursuit and clearing the area are separate parts of the process.

GTA 6 Criminal Profile System Ties to Wanted Level

The Wanted system works alongside a separate GTA VI Criminal Profile system. This tracks how Jason and Lucia behave over time and can influence how NPCs react to them and how the world responds to their actions.

Rockstar explains that consistently escalating situations or committing unnecessary violence can move the Criminal Profile in a particular direction. Defending yourself or responding to pursuers does not carry the same weight as repeatedly escalating situations without a clear reason. A police chase concerns an immediate crime, while the Criminal Profile reflects patterns in the player’s wider behavior.

The GTA 6 leaks are worth mentioning only because some of the information shown about the wanted system lines up with the official details. The return to six wanted stars is one example that has since been shown publicly.

Across discussions about the GTA 6 wanted system, the Reddit community is also trying to decipher what the remaining icons and police behaviors could mean. However, those discussions should be treated as speculation rather than confirmed information.

So, that is pretty much everything you should know about the wanted system in Grand Theft Auto VI. What are your thoughts on the wanted system in GTA 6? Did you already pre-order GTA 6? Let us know in the comments.