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GTA 6’s Criminal Profile meter may stay broken for players who refuse to engage

A TGG preview describes four main states, separate profiles for Jason and Lucia, and an option to hide the system's notifications.

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A Grand Theft Auto VI character stands beneath a handgun with ammunition visible in a warmly lit room.

Grand Theft Auto VI’s Criminal Profile system reportedly will not function like a morality meter that pushes every player toward the same preferred behavior. Instead, a preview based on a visit to Rockstar North describes several states for Jason and Lucia, including a fifth outcome where the meter becomes “shattered” and cannot be changed.

In a TGG preview, the system is presented as a way to reflect how players handle crime rather than a progression gate. The account says Rockstar does not want players punished for their preferred playstyle or forced to improve a reputation score before they can continue through the story.

The four main Criminal Profile states described in the preview are Professional, Aggressive, Violent, and Psycho. Staying in the Professional state reportedly involves “restraint and control,” including avoiding injury or murder unless the situation demands it.

Professional reflects controlled behavior and limited unnecessary violence.
Aggressive and Violent represent progressively harsher approaches to dealing with other characters.
Psycho sits at the most extreme end of the four standard states.
Shattered is a separate state where the meter cracks and cannot be changed.

The shattered state is the most unusual part of the system. TGG’s account suggests it is meant for players who have no interest in engaging with Criminal Profiles at all, rather than for someone trying to reach a better rating. Players can also disable Criminal Profile notifications, and Jason and Lucia can have different states instead of sharing one combined status.

What the Criminal Profile system may actually track

Our earlier coverage of the broader criminal-profile claim described the possibility of a persistent record for the two protagonists. These newer details offer a clearer look at its categories, but they do not explain how much the system will affect the story. It remains unknown whether a profile can change endings, alter missions, affect NPC behavior, or mainly serve as a reflection of the player’s choices.

Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson told TGG that the game’s connected systems should let players roleplay as heavily or lightly as they want. “You can still cause as much carnage as you can imagine,” Nelson said, while leaving players to decide whether the consequences make them change their approach.

That leaves Grand Theft Auto VI with room for both careful criminals and players who treat every street corner like a personal stress test. The Criminal Profile details are still based on a preview account rather than a complete official feature list, so the system’s final behavior may become clearer closer to release.

Would a Criminal Profile meter that can become permanently shattered work for your preferred playstyle? Tell us what you think in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

Grand Theft Auto VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.