Ignore Lucia in GTA 6 and you'll pay for it

In GTA 6, Jason and Lucia's relationship isn't just for the cutscenes: you look after it by spending time together, and it changes how their story plays out. That's what Rob Nelson, co-studio head of Rockstar North, explained in the full interview IGN published on 7 October. It was recorded in July while he played a 30-minute demo, and it also covers the Criminal Profile and money that, this time, really matters.

How does Jason and Lucia's relationship work?

Like any relationship: with time. Everything they do together in the open world counts, and Rockstar doesn't separate good dates from bad ones. Holding hands (just hold R2), going to the zoo, scuba diving, kayaking or strolling along the beach count just as much as robbing a store together. If they hit the gym together, they both train at once: a two-for-one on their stats.

When they split up, they stay in touch. You can text or call the other one at any time, and they text you too. If you spend the day on your own, at night you get a message along the lines of "I'm heading to bed, you OK?", and replying is enough. Ignoring it costs you a little.

Each of them also has their own routine. When you switch character, the other one might be at the safehouse or out and about in the city; in the demo, Nelson switched to Jason and caught him in the shower. The idea, he says, is that you play wondering where your partner is, the opposite of GTA V, where Michael, Franklin and Trevor each lived their own lives.

What happens if you neglect the relationship?

The romance is optional. If it's not for you, Jason and Lucia remain partners in crime: the story keeps them working together most of the time, and in a fight they always have each other's backs. There's no gameplay advantage that depends on being a couple either.

What does change is their story. Nelson says that whether or not you looked after the relationship will affect how it unfolds, although he wouldn't go further to avoid spoilers. Doing missions together isn't enough: you have to spend time with them outside missions too. The idea comes from Red Dead Redemption 2, where what you did as Arthur changed some of his lines and his ending.

What is the Criminal Profile?

The little icons that pop up when you do something good or bad, like the halo when you pet a dog in the Extended Look, are part of the Criminal Profile: a record of what kind of criminal you are. Nelson makes it clear that it isn't RDR2's honour system and that there's no right way to play.

What you do in a mission or to defend yourself counts as normal. The profile starts leaning one way when you regularly go further than you need to or cause trouble for no reason. That changes how the world reacts to you and how the story moves forward. It's a separate system from the relationship.

And the world fights back. In earlier GTAs only the police stood up to you, but in GTA 6 other characters carry guns too and can come after you. At the same time, you have more options than shooting: threatening someone, knocking them out or wounding them without killing them. Nelson sums up the style they're after as "hit and run": if you pull a job and leave before the police arrive, without escalating, you'll usually get away with it.

In the end, the outcome depends on big and small decisions. Some weigh in on the spot and others add up over time.

Why does money matter more than ever?

Because some missions require you to have it before you can move on. Nelson says money carries more weight in this story than in any previous GTA, and that between missions you'll have to go out and earn it.

The main way is robberies: stores, banks, pawn shops and payday lenders, and in general "almost anything". It pays to prepare them, for example by leaving a car parked outside, and safes open with the combination or the hard way, with an explosive that destroys part of the loot. The rest comes from selling jewellery and stolen cars at chop shops, which pay less if the car arrives damaged. It's all in our guide to making money, along with what worked in GTA V.

And stealing cars?

That changes too. You now carry a scanner on your phone that tells you whether a car has an alarm or a tracker and how much it's worth, and some models need a key cloner or can't be stolen until you progress in the story. We've added it, with everything else Nelson said about vehicles, to our cars guide.

Other details from the interview

• Livelier safehouses: they're closer to RDR2's camp than to GTA V's houses, and you can trim or shave your hair there.
• Barbers with their own style: for a new hairstyle you have to visit one, and each has exclusive cuts.
• Your body changes: the gym builds muscle and strength, and eating too much makes you put on weight.
• Shaking off the police: they know what you're wearing, what car you're driving and that you're a couple. Changing clothes or splitting up helps. Changing your hair, not so much.
• Snapmatic: the in-game social network is only for scrolling; Jason and Lucia don't post because they're on the run.
• Ryde Me: Leonida's Uber, for getting around quickly while chatting with the driver.
• People of all shapes and sizes: NPCs come in more heights and builds than ever, and if you eavesdrop up close or follow them, they notice.