# Batman: The Enemy Within - The Telltale Series

> ResidualPlay case file: an overlooked Steam game still earning residual revenue. Estimates carry a ±30-50% error range per title.

- Steam appid: 675260
- Developer: Telltale
- Released: 2017 · Genre: Adventure · List price: $14.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $4.9k to $7.3k per month (mid $6.1k)
- Opportunity score: $12.9k/month at x2.10 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 485.2k · Est. lifetime net revenue: $1.6M
- Review sentiment: 92% positive across 10647 reviews (8822 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 76.0 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer silent for 6.5 years
- Studio quiet across its whole catalog
- Last build shipped 6.8 years ago
- Last discounted 0 months ago, 9 sales in the last 12 months
- Proven demand elasticity: x1.4 review velocity during past deep sales

## Where a gross dollar goes (monthly, at current velocity)

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $11.1k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $9.7k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $8.8k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $6.1k |

## Monthly review counts, oldest to newest (24 months)

73, 72, 84, 60, 89, 92, 44, 58, 42, 40, 49, 72, 99, 57, 112, 90, 129, 134, 66, 86, 75, 55, 79, 95

## Estimated acquisition range

$146.9k to $293.9k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $73.5k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Telltale's 2017 narrative adventure sequel where player choices shape John Doe's transformation into the Joker, praised for emotional storytelling and consequence-driven branching.

Batman: The Enemy Within remains Telltale's strongest performer in a fading studio catalog, generating $6.1k/mo in residual revenue on modest ongoing discounting and 76 reviews per month. The 92% positive score and franchise appeal suggest stable evergreen demand, but the IP is wholly owned by DC/Warner Bros., making acquisition impossible; the realistic play is licensing negotiation with rights holders to fund a spiritual successor or revival under new stewardship.

- Most realistic play: licensing
- Licensed IP: the game is built on third-party intellectual property
- Risk (licensed_ip): Full Batman IP control rests with DC Entertainment and Warner Bros.; any revival, sequel, or sequel-like project requires separate licensing approval regardless of who acquires the Telltale catalog.
- Risk (tech): Telltale's proprietary engine and toolchain are legacy; rebuilding or extending this franchise on modern tech would require substantial rearchitecture rather than patching.
- Risk (market): Player sentiment expresses hunger for a third season that Telltale can no longer deliver; demand may atrophy if the studio collapses entirely or if a new IP holder declines continuation.

What players are asking for:
- Third Batman season or narrative continuation (mentioned in multiple reviews)
- Narrative parity with first game so new players can import saves and choices
- Detective-focused gameplay variant (shift emphasis from Bruce action sequences)
- Video speed control or scene skip for replay and accessibility

Suggested first moves:
1. Initiate direct licensing talks with DC/Warner Bros. entertainment to gauge appetite for a Telltale Batman spiritual successor or licensed reboot under a stable indie or mid-cap studio.
2. Audit Telltale's remaining IP portfolio and studio assets to identify which titles carry less restrictive licensing terms and could be acquired or revived with lower friction.
3. Conduct player sentiment deep-dive on the two key endings (Joker ally vs. adversary paths) to define which narrative branch carries the strongest franchise equity for a hypothetical revival pitch to rights holders.

Generated 2026-08-20 from public signals and player reviews. Directional, not diligence.

## Methodology

Units are estimated from Steam-purchase reviews times a release-cohort multiplier (Boxleiter method, 20-75x by year). Revenue uses an effective price (lifetime discounts and regional pricing) and nets out VAT (~13%), refunds (~9.5%) and Steam's 30% cut: roughly 55% of gross reaches the developer.

Source: https://residualplay.com/game/675260
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.