application/pdf 239233 bytes Abstract: The portrayal of crime in video games has become a focal point of academic and societal debate due to its potential influence on players' perceptions of criminal behavior and morality. This paper critically examines how crime is depicted across different genres of video games, exploring the narrative structures, character development, and interactive mechanics that contribute to these portrayals. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining content analysis of popular crimecentered games with a review of player experiences and reactions, we assess the extent to which video games normalize or challenge criminal activity. Additionally, the study considers the implications of crime representation on both individual psychology and broader cultural attitudes towards law, justice, and morality. The findings highlight the complex and multifaceted role that video games play in shaping societal views on crime, with particular attention to the influence of immersive storytelling and player agency. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on the intersection of digital entertainment, psychology, and criminology, and offers insights into the potential impact of video games on social attitudes and behaviors related to crime. Sažetak: Prikaz kriminala u video igrama postao je središnja tema akademske i društvene debate zbog potencijalnog uticaja na percepciju kriminalnog ponašanja i moralnosti kod igrača. Ovaj rad kritički ispituje način na koji je kriminal prikazan u različitim žanrovima video igara, istražujući narativne strukture, razvoj likova i interaktivne mehanike koje doprinose ovim prikazima. Kroz metodološki pristup koji kombinuje analizu sadržaja popularnih igara fokusiranih na kriminal i pregled iskustava i reakcija igrača, procenjujemo u kojoj meri video igre normalizuju ili dovode u pitanje kriminalne aktivnosti. Pored toga, studija razmatra implikacije prikaza kriminala na individualnu psihologiju i šire kulturne stavove prema zakonu, pravdi i moralnosti. Rezultati ističu složenu i višeslojnu ulogu koju video igre igraju u oblikovanju društvenih stavova prema kriminalu, sa posebnim osvrtom na uticaj imerzivnog pripovedanja i agencije igrača. Ovo istraživanje doprinosi sve većem korpusu literature na raskrsnici digitalne zabave, psihologije i kriminologije, nudeći uvide u potencijalni uticaj video igara na društvene stavove i ponašanja vezana za kriminal. https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:7063 doi:10.51738/Kpolisa2024.21.3r.f55 ISSN: 1820-4589 Keywords: crime representation, video games, player perception, criminology, cultural attitudes Ključne reči: predstavljanje kriminala, video igre, percepcija igrača, kriminologija, kulturološki stavovi. eng srp Kultura polisa volume: 21 number: 3 startpage: 55 endpage: 76 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode 2024 M. Filipović, Aleksandar info:eu-repo/semantics/review Depiction of crime in video games: a critical analysis Prikaz kriminala u video igrama: kritička analiza