Telltale Games
Telltale Games is an independent developer and publisher of narrative adventure video games with branching storylines and cinematic presentation, serving individual gaming consumers globally through major digital storefronts. Following its 2019 revival by LCG Entertainment, it operates on Unreal Engine 5 with a distributed development model across licensed and original IPs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSan Rafael, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Telltale Games does
Telltale Games, operated by LCG Entertainment, Inc., is an independent developer and publisher of narrative adventure video games headquartered in Malibu, California with additional offices in Corte Madera, California. The company produces story-driven interactive entertainment featuring branching narratives, player-driven choices, motion-captured performances, and cinematic presentation. Its portfolio spans licensed IP adaptations including The Wolf Among Us franchise, Batman: Shadows Edition, The Expanse: A Telltale Series, and Tales of Monkey Island, alongside remastered catalog titles. After the original studio's October 2018 bankruptcy, LCG Entertainment acquired the brand, assets, technology, and select IP in August 2019 under CEO Jamie Ottilie and CRO Brian Waddle, rebuilding operations around Unreal Engine 5 and a distributed development model.
The company's underlying technology stack centers on Unreal Engine 5, replacing the legacy Telltale Tool, with proprietary zero-gravity traversal mechanics in The Expanse and motion-capture-driven character performances. Telltale partners with co-developers including AdHoc Studio (founded by former Telltale employees, handling The Wolf Among Us 2), Deck Nine Games, and Alcon Interactive Group for licensed IP work, and acquired Flavourworks in August 2023 to strengthen interactive video technology and mobile reach.
Telltale's business model is digital-first consumer publishing, with games sold as one-time perpetual licenses at $39.99 (Standard) and $44.99 (Deluxe) for new releases and $4.99-$29.99 for catalog titles, distributed globally through Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Nintendo Switch, and mobile platforms. The company supplements direct distribution through publishing partners Athlon Games (back catalog) and PM Studios (Wolf Among Us 2). Pricing excludes subscription offerings. Customer segments are individual narrative-gaming consumers across North America and Europe.
Telltale Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Telltale Games
- Legal name
- LCG Entertainment, Inc.
- Website
- https://telltale.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Telltale Games is an independent developer and publisher of narrative adventure video games with branching storylines and cinematic presentation, serving individual gaming consumers globally through major digital storefronts. Following its 2019 revival by LCG Entertainment, it operates on Unreal Engine 5 with a distributed development model across licensed and original IPs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Telltale Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Interactive Entertainment / Narrative Adventure Video Games
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)
Keywords
Where Telltale Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Rafael
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Telltale Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Game Sales: Full season game purchases sold as complete collections or by season with Standard ($39.99) and Deluxe ($44.99) editions for new releases. Older titles sold at various price points including $29.99 for Batman Shadows Edition and $19.99 for Tales of Monkey Island.
- DLC and Bonus Episodes: Additional downloadable content episodes sold separately, such as the Archangel bonus episode for The Expanse. Deluxe editions include future DLC. Shadows Mode available as standalone DLC from $4.99.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Edition - Base game with all episodes |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Deluxe Edition - Base game plus bonus DLC episode |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Batman Shadows Edition Complete Package |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Shadows Mode DLC Add-on |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tales of Monkey Island Complete Pack |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Telltale Texas Hold'em! |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels5 records
Telltale Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Telltale Games develops and publishes narrative-driven adventure video games featuring branching storylines, player-choice consequences, and cinematic motion-capture performances. The studio sells games as complete season purchases or single releases across PC, console, and mobile digital storefronts, with optional DLC expansions, and operates a distributed co-development model using Unreal Engine 5.
Product overview
Telltale Games is an independent developer and publisher of narrative adventure games, recognized globally for pioneering episodic gaming. The company operates a multi-product portfolio spanning licensed IP games (The Wolf Among Us series, Batman: Shadows Edition, The Expanse: A Telltale Series, Tales of Monkey Island) and original titles. The core offering centers on interactive storytelling games featuring player choices, branching narratives, and cinematic presentation. The new Telltale (owned by LCG Entertainment since 2019) has shifted from its legacy Telltale Tool to Unreal Engine 5 and operates a distributed development model with co-development partners. The portfolio includes flagship narrative titles alongside reissued classic catalog games, with games distributed across PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG), console (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch), and mobile platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Wolf Among Us 2 A dark neon-noir narrative thriller and sequel to the acclaimed original Wolf Among Us, where players return as Bigby Wolf investigating crimes threatening Fabletown, featuring investigative gameplay, cinematic combat, and branching choices with lasting consequences.
- The Wolf Among Us Remastered A remastered version of the 2013 original Wolf Among Us, featuring all five episodes plus over an hour of bonus content, updated visuals, improved UI and accessibility features.
- The Expanse: A Telltale Series An episodic narrative adventure set in The Expanse universe, following Camina Drummer aboard the Artemis. Features zero-gravity exploration, branching storylines where player choices determine crew survival, released in episodes two weeks apart.
- Batman: Shadows Edition A bundled collection featuring Batman: The Telltale Series (Episodes 1-5), Batman: The Enemy Within (Episodes 1-5), and the Shadows Mode noir-style DLC with enhanced visuals and remastered textures.
- Batman: The Telltale Series The first season of Telltale's Batman series placing players in the fractured psyche of Bruce Wayne, with player choices affecting the Dark Knight's story.
- Batman: The Enemy Within The second season of Telltale's Batman series featuring the noir-style Shadows Mode, continuing the narrative where player choices affect the Dark Knight's relationships and fate.
- The Wolf Among Us (Original) The original five-episode prequel set 20 years prior to the Fables comic books, featuring fairy tale characters living in secret in New York City's Fabletown.
- Tales of Monkey Island A five-episode graphic adventure following pirate Guybrush Threepwood as he attempts to destroy his nemesis LeChuck, available as a complete collection.
- Hector: Badge of Carnage A point-and-click adventure featuring Hector, a dimwitted antihero navigating a brutal city, reissued from Telltale's classic catalog.
- Puzzle Agent A puzzle-solving point-and-click adventure game from Telltale's classic catalog, reissued for modern platforms.
- Puzzle Agent 2 The sequel to Puzzle Agent continuing the puzzle-solving narrative adventure, reissued from Telltale's catalog.
- Telltale Texas Hold'em Telltale's inaugural 3D poker game featuring virtual personality AI with over 1,800 lines of dialog and fully animated characters.
- Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures A four-episode point-and-click adventure series featuring Wallace and Gromit in comedic exploits based on the Aardman characters.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 80 Game of the Year Awards across Telltale's portfolio
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Telltale Games
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Telltale Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Telltale Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PM StudioscorePublishing partner for The Wolf Among Us 2, providing production stability, distribution, and go-to-market support with a 'creator-first' philosophy. PM Studios CEO Michael Yum stated his company is providing production stability and distribution.
- FlavourworkscoreTelltale acquired Flavourworks, an interactive video technology company, to enhance its storytelling game efforts and expand its reach across multiple platforms, especially mobile devices. The acquisition aimed to improve the company's ability to create cinematic, interactive narratives and capitalize on converging film and gaming sectors.
- Deck Nine GamescoreCo-development partnership for The Expanse: A Telltale Series. Deck Nine, the award-winning studio behind Life is Strange: True Colors, worked alongside Telltale to develop the game with motion capture performances and zero-gravity gameplay mechanics.
- Alcon Interactive GroupcorePartnership with Alcon Television Group to create The Expanse: A Telltale Series based on the popular Amazon Prime sci-fi television series.
- AdHoc StudiocoreCreative partnership to co-develop The Wolf Among Us 2. AdHoc Studio, founded by former Telltale employees, brings back original Wolf series directors Nick Herman and Dennis Lenart, writer Pierre Shorette, and voice actors Adam Harrington and Erin Yvette.
- Athlon GamescorePublishing partner handling marketing and publishing for Telltale's back catalog titles including Batman series and The Wolf Among Us. Athlon Games is a subsidiary of Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Telltale Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Deck Nine Games: Developer of Life is Strange: True Colors and co-development partner on The Expanse: A Telltale Series, Deck Nine is a direct peer in narrative adventure games with comparable production values and target audience.
- Dontnod Entertainment: Developer of Life is Strange and Tell Me Why, Dontnod is a direct peer specializing in narrative-driven, choice-based adventure games with branching storylines, closely mirroring Telltale's core product category and target audience.
- Supermassive Games: Developer of Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology, Supermassive competes directly with Telltale in choice-driven narrative horror/adventure games featuring cinematic presentation and player-driven consequences.
- Night School Studio: Creator of Oxenfree and Oxenfree II, Night School (now part of Netflix Games) is a direct peer in narrative-driven indie adventure games targeting story-focused players overlapping with Telltale's audience.
- Quantic Dream: Creator of Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human, Quantic Dream directly competes with Telltale in cinematic, choice-driven narrative adventure games with motion-capture performances and branching outcomes.
Broad incumbents
- Square Enix (Life is Strange publisher): Publisher of the Life is Strange franchise and developer of narrative titles like Final Fantasy XVI, Square Enix is a broad incumbent in narrative gaming and a key competitor for licensed narrative IP partnerships.
- Remedy Entertainment: Developer of Alan Wake and Control, Remedy operates more broadly in narrative-driven action-adventure games. While not exclusively episodic/choice-based, its cinematic storytelling and high production values overlap with Telltale's positioning.
Emerging players
- Choice of Games: Developer of text-based choice-driven narrative games, Choice of Games targets the same audience segment as Telltale (story-first, choice-driven players) but operates in a much lower-fidelity, indie format.
- Inkle Studios: Developer of 80 Days and Heaven's Vault, Inkle is a smaller narrative-focused studio specializing in choice-driven interactive fiction. It targets the same story-first audience as Telltale but at a smaller scale and with text-forward mechanics.
- Failbetter Games: Developer of Fallen London and Sunless Sea, Failbetter is a niche narrative games studio serving a similar story-rich, choice-oriented audience, though with a stronger text/strategy orientation than Telltale's cinematic format.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Telltale Games social profiles
Digital presenceTelltale Games compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Telltale Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Telltale Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Telltale Games subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Telltale Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Telltale Games M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Telltale Games
What does Telltale Games do?
Telltale Games develops and publishes narrative-driven adventure video games featuring branching storylines, player-choice consequences, and cinematic motion-capture performances. The studio sells games as complete season purchases or single releases across PC, console, and mobile digital storefronts, with optional DLC expansions, and operates a distributed co-development model using Unreal Engine 5.
Is Telltale Games a public or private company?
Telltale Games is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Telltale Games founded?
Telltale Games was founded in 2004. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Telltale Games based?
Telltale Games is headquartered in San Rafael, United States, in the North America region.
How does Telltale Games make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are DLC and Bonus Episodes.
Who are Telltale Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Deck Nine Games, Dontnod Entertainment, Supermassive Games, Night School Studio and Quantic Dream. Broad incumbents are Square Enix (Life is Strange publisher) and Remedy Entertainment. Emerging players are Choice of Games, Inkle Studios and Failbetter Games.
Does Telltale Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Telltale Games.
What industry is Telltale Games in?
Telltale Games's product category is Interactive Entertainment / Narrative Adventure Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAL, Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAB, Mobile & F2P Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 339930 and its SIC code is 7990.