GTA 6 Wanted Stars Just Got a Huge Upgrade

Ever been chased by cops in GTA and had no idea if they actually knew who you were or were just guessing? GTA 6 is fixing that in a big way.

The Wanted Level system has been overhauled with six stars instead of the usual five, giving Rockstar more room to fine-tune how aggressive the cops get. But the real change is that those stars now come in different colors, each telling you exactly where you stand with the law.

Black and white stars mean the cops are investigating a crime but don't know your identity yet. Keep a low profile and you can slip away. Gray stars mean they've got info on who you are and are actively searching. White stars mean they've spotted you and are in pursuit. Red stars mean you've escaped their sight, but they still have your details and will identify you again unless you clear that Heat.

Speaking of Heat, that's the other big addition. A set of red icons in the top-right corner shows what clues the cops are using to track you, gathered from witnesses or their own observations. Six Heat markers have been spotted so far: security camera footage, accomplice, clothing, face, weapon, and vehicle.

The more Heat you've got, the harder it is to shake the cops. You can prevent some of it by wearing a mask or taking out cameras before you act. Once a marker is active, you can clear it by hiding weapons or changing clothes, and it seems to happen instantly. In the Extended Look footage, the Vehicle Heat icon vanished the moment Lucia stepped out of Raul's car.

There's also an Accomplice marker, which you can lose by splitting up Jason and Lucia. But here's the catch: if either one gets caught while you're apart, you still get Busted. No sacrificing your partner for a quick escape.

At higher Wanted Levels, your minimap gets obscured by flashing red and blue lights, so you'll have to rely on your own eyes to spot police threats and lay low. It's a much more tactical approach to getting chased.

What do you think of the new Wanted and Heat systems? Will you be playing it smart or going out in a blaze of glory?