Overview
Ananta tracks how NPCs perceive the player through a reputation system that responds to in-game actions. Committing crimes or antisocial acts lowers the player's standing, making it harder to move around Nova City freely. Building trust with factions and growing your social media presence opens doors that would otherwise stay closed. The system functions similarly in concept to GTA's wanted level, but extends beyond law enforcement into social dynamics and faction relationships.
Criminal Behavior and Consequences
When a player commits illegal acts (theft, assault, property destruction), their reputation takes a hit. This connects directly to the Crime Systemwhich handles the immediate law enforcement response. But reputation goes further than just police chases. NPCs remember.
The most distinctive element is how ordinary citizens react. If you steal an NPC's phone, for example, that NPC becomes angry. But it does not stop there. NPCs can "expose" the player on the in-game social media platform, broadcasting your misbehavior to the broader city. This creates a ripple effect where a single bad act can snowball into wider consequences as word spreads digitally.
Producer Ash Qi summarized it during a TGS 2025 interview: "Your stunts and clout shape how NPCs treat you." This suggests the system is not binary (wanted vs. not wanted) but operates on a spectrum where your accumulated behavior patterns determine NPC attitudes over time.
Faction Relationships
Beyond the general public's opinion, players can build targeted relationships with specific organizations and groups in Nova City. Taking on jobs for factions builds trust and unlocks faction-specific perks. Two groups that have been named are:
"NCAA"A faction offering jobs and missions. The exact nature of this organization has not been detailed beyond its name appearing in preview coverage.
Cat ExpressA delivery or courier service. Taking on jobs for Cat Express builds trust with the organization, which may tie into how Taffy's courier work connects to the player's progression.
Completing work for these groups is described as a way to "build trust and unlock perks," though the specific rewards (discounts, exclusive gear, story branches, access to restricted areas) have not been enumerated.
Social Media Fame
Reputation is both about avoiding trouble. Players can actively cultivate a positive or famous persona through the in-game social media system. Spreading your fame on social media opens doors to recruiting allies, accessing new content, and shifting how the city responds to your presence. This represents the flip side of the reputation coin: where crime drags you down, social media clout lifts you up.
For a deeper look at how the social media mechanic works, see the Social Media Influence page.
Open Questions
Question | Details |
|---|---|
Visible meter | Whether reputation is displayed as a numerical value, a progress bar, or operates entirely behind the scenes is unconfirmed. |
Recovery | How quickly (or whether) a damaged reputation can be repaired is not known. Can good deeds offset past crimes, or do some consequences stick permanently? |
Character-specific | Whether each member of your team has their own reputation or if the system is shared across the party is unclear. |
Long-Term Effect
The developer has described player actions as leaving a "lasting mark" on the city and its inhabitants. This phrasing suggests that reputation is not purely momentary (like losing a wanted level by hiding for two minutes) but accumulates over the course of the game. Combined with the NPC scheduling from the Day-Night Cycle and the social media exposure mechanic, reputation appears to be a persistent layer that colors the entire experience of living in Nova City.