GTA 6 has a morality system. Rockstar calls it the Criminal Profile, and it tracks Jason and Lucia on a scale from “Professional” to “Irredeemable”, shown with angel and devil icons. Rockstar says it will influence how their story unfolds. It doesn’t judge whether you commit crimes. It judges how you commit them.
Last checked on November 3, 2026, 16 days before GTA 6 launches on November 19. Everything below comes from Rockstar’s own statements to Edge and IGN, with each claim labelled. Where outlets add their own reading, we say so. For the police and heat side of the game, see how the GTA 6 wanted system works.
What is confirmed and what is not
| Detail | Status | What was said |
|---|---|---|
| A Criminal Profile tracks Jason and Lucia’s behaviour | Rockstar via Edge | The scale runs from “Professional” to “Irredeemable”, with angel and devil icons |
| Non-lethal options count | Rockstar via Edge | A calculating criminal might incapacitate an enemy instead of killing them, or try threats and intimidation first |
| Shooting first builds a violent profile | Rockstar via Edge | “Those who shoot first and ask questions later will develop a violent profile” |
| It changes the story | Rockstar via Edge | Rockstar says the profile “will influence how Jason and Lucia’s story unfolds” |
| Mission-required crimes don’t count against you | Rockstar via IGN | Nelson: what a mission requires is fair game. Going beyond what is necessary on a consistent basis sways the profile |
| There is no right or wrong way to play | Rockstar via IGN | Nelson: consistent actions “may have an impact” on how the world reacts and how the narrative plays out |
| Bribes and small kindnesses help | PC Gamer reading | PC Gamer mentions bribery as an option and reports Nelson saying small acts of kindness can redeem you. Rockstar’s own quoted lines don’t list them |
| Multiple endings, discounts, rewards or a visible score | Not revealed | Rockstar hasn’t said what changes in practice, or by how much |
How the Criminal Profile works
Edge, which visited Rockstar North for its GTA 6 cover story, describes the system plainly: it watches how Jason and Lucia behave and places them somewhere between Professional and Irredeemable. Combat doesn’t have to end in a death. You can knock someone out instead of killing them, or threaten and intimidate before you draw a weapon. If you open fire first, your profile turns violent.
Rob Nelson, Rockstar North’s co-studio head and head of development, gave IGN the clearest rule so far. He framed GTA 6 as “a story about a couple on the run”, and said that if you do something like a hit and run and get away without a shootout, “you’re generally going to be fine.” The profile moves “when you go beyond what is necessary on a consistent basis.” He also said the system is there because Jason and Lucia aren’t the only people in Leonida capable of violence, so they shouldn’t feel all-powerful.
The key word is consistent. Nothing Rockstar has said suggests one bad moment flips the scale. It is a pattern tracker, not a punishment for every stray bullet.
What moves your profile, by action
| What you do | Likely direction | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Crimes a story mission requires, like a robbery | Neutral | Rockstar via IGN |
| A hit and run, then escaping without a fight | “Generally fine” | Rockstar via IGN |
| Incapacitating an enemy instead of killing | Toward Professional | Rockstar via Edge |
| Threats and intimidation before violence | Toward Professional | Rockstar via Edge |
| Shooting first, escalating fights | Toward a violent profile | Rockstar via Edge |
| Repeated unnecessary violence | Toward Irredeemable | Rockstar via IGN |
| Bribes, small acts of kindness | Toward Professional | PC Gamer reading |
Does it change the story?
Rockstar says yes, without details. “These choices are not merely cosmetic,” Edge writes, and Rockstar told it the Criminal Profile will influence how the story unfolds. Nelson’s version to IGN is more careful: consistent actions “may have an impact in terms of how the world reacts to you and how the narrative plays out.”
That leaves open questions Rockstar hasn’t answered: whether there are different endings, whether characters treat you differently in specific scenes, and whether the profile changes prices, missions or rewards. We’ll update this page when Rockstar or reviews confirm it. Reviews are reported for November 18; see our note on the GTA 6 review embargo.
Edge also sets a limit on the role-play: “You can choose what kind of criminal you are, but not whether you are one.” The same goes for the couple’s relationship, which has its own four-point closeness scale. We cover that in Jason and Lucia’s relationship system.
GTA 6 Criminal Profile vs RDR2 Honor
Every outlet that has seen GTA 6 compares it to Red Dead Redemption 2’s Honor system, and Edge says RDR2 had a profound influence on the team’s narrative ambitions. The two aren’t identical.
| RDR2 Honor | GTA 6 Criminal Profile | |
|---|---|---|
| What it tracks | Good and bad acts, from helping strangers to robbing them | How violent or calculated your crimes are |
| Scale | Low to high Honor | Professional to Irredeemable |
| Story effect | Different cutscenes and dialogue in key moments, and parts of the ending | Rockstar says it shapes how the story unfolds; specifics not revealed |
| Shops and rewards | Discounts in stores at high Honor | Not revealed |
| Can you play “good”? | Yes, Arthur can be honourable | No, you are always criminals; you pick what kind |
RDR2 details are from GamesRadar and TheGamer. Treat the GTA 6 column as only what Rockstar has said so far.
How to play a Professional run
Our advice This is our reading of Rockstar’s description, not an official guide:
- Do the job, then leave. Nelson says mission crimes are fair game. The risk is the extra violence afterwards.
- Use non-lethal options first. Knock enemies out and threaten before you shoot.
- Don’t start fights with the police or bystanders. Losing the cops without a shootout is the “generally fine” case.
- Think in patterns, not moments. The profile reacts to consistent behaviour, so a single mistake shouldn’t define your run.
- Plan your gear. GTA 6 limits how many weapons you carry, which already pushes you to pick your fights. See the GTA 6 weapon carry limit.
Frequently asked questions
Does GTA 6 have a morality system?
Yes. Rockstar calls it the Criminal Profile. According to Edge, it tracks how Jason and Lucia behave on a scale from Professional to Irredeemable, shown with angel and devil icons. It measures what kind of criminal you are, not whether you are a good person: Edge says you can choose what kind of criminal you are, but not whether you are one.
Does the Criminal Profile change the story or the ending?
Rockstar says the Criminal Profile will influence how Jason and Lucia’s story unfolds (via Edge), and Rob Nelson told IGN that consistent actions may affect how the world reacts and how the narrative plays out. Rockstar has not said whether that means different endings, different cutscenes or only different reactions.
Will killing people in story missions ruin my Criminal Profile?
Not according to Rob Nelson. He told IGN that what a mission requires, like a robbery, is fair game, and that the profile shifts when you go beyond what is necessary on a consistent basis.
How do I keep a Professional Criminal Profile in GTA 6?
Based on what Rockstar has described, incapacitate enemies instead of killing them, try threats and intimidation before violence, and avoid escalating fights you don’t need. Rockstar has not published exact rules or thresholds, so treat that as a reading of the official description, not a guaranteed formula.
Is the Criminal Profile the same as RDR2’s Honor system?
It is the closest comparison, and outlets that saw the game make it. RDR2’s Honor changed shop discounts, some dialogue and cutscenes, and parts of Arthur Morgan’s ending. GTA 6’s version is about how violent or calculated your crimes are. Rockstar has not said whether it affects prices or rewards.
Is the Criminal Profile the same as the wanted level?
No. The wanted and police system handles how the police find and chase you in the moment. The Criminal Profile is a long-term record of your behaviour. See our wanted system explainer for how the police side works.
Can I reset or fix a bad Criminal Profile?
Rockstar hasn’t said. PC Gamer reports that Nelson described small acts of kindness as a way to redeem yourself, but there is no official detail on how quickly the scale moves back.
Sources
- GamesRadar+ / Edge: Grand Theft Auto VI exclusive, The state that never sleeps
- IGN: GTA 6, The Big Interview
- IGN: Rob Nelson reveals more details about the Criminal Profile system
- GamesRadar+: GTA 6’s criminal profile will track how heinous your crimes are
- PC Gamer: GTA 6’s morality system will scale from Professional to Irredeemable
- TheGamer: how Honor changes the story in Red Dead Redemption 2