The Detective Vision was redeveloped for Arkham City because it was considered to be too useful in Arkham Asylum, resulting in some players using it throughout almost the entire game; the visual effect also obscured the game's design aesthetic. One idea was to introduce a time limit on its use, but it was considered that Batman wouldn't make a gadget like that. Instead, it was designed to be difficult to use in certain situations.

The idea for a time limit on the Detective Vision would later be used in Batman: Arkham Knight.