# Game Studio Tycoon 3 vs Game Dev Tycoon

The clearest difference is rating: Game Dev Tycoon at 4.9 against Game Studio Tycoon 3's 3.8. Game Dev Tycoon also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 53%) and ratings volume (24K vs 90). Game Studio Tycoon 3's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Game Studio Tycoon 3 costs $4.99 and Game Dev Tycoon $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Game Dev Tycoon holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Game Dev Tycoon has 24K ratings behind it against 90, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Game Studio Tycoon 3's written reviews are positive against 91% of Game Dev Tycoon's.

Game Studio Tycoon 3 ships an update every 8 days, Game Dev Tycoon every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Game Studio Tycoon 3 | Game Dev Tycoon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Rating | [3.8 (90 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-studio-tycoon-3/id1074068315/reviews) | **[4.9 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-dev-tycoon/id1162580001/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 90 | **24K** |
| Positive reviews | 52.8% of reviews | **91.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#46** |
| Size | 165 MB | 204 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ashley Sherwin](https://appshunter.io/developer/547510175) | [Greenheart Games Pty. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/877999140) |

## What reviewers say

### Game Studio Tycoon 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-studio-tycoon-3/id1074068315)

Simulate a complete game development studio, from hiring staff and creating games to designing hardware and managing finances. Compete against AI studios and grow your business across decades of gaming history.

**Highlights:** Build and manage a game studio, Develop games for various platforms, Create custom gaming hardware, Manage employees and teams, Engage with a complex fan system, Compete against AI studios

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 The best game ever!!
- 👍 Pretty fun and addicting game would recommend
- 👍 Great Game
- 👍 It's super fun
- 👍 Fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Keeps crashing
- 🐛 Crashes continuously
- 🐛 Impossible To Win!
- 🐛 Doesn't fit my screen correctly. Crashes all the time. An ugly looking copy of Game Dev Tycoon. Save your money.
- 🐛 The game isn't even optimized to fit an iPhone, yet you're trying to 'sell' it instead of making it a free app? Worst 3 dollars or so I've ever spent in my life. It's to bad I can't rate 0 stars.

**Reported bugs**

- Ratings Problem
- Impossible To Win!
- Doesn't fit iPhone notch
- Разрешение экрана
- Слiders don't work for engine

**Requested features**

- Add a newsreel I feel like it'd be an interesting concept to the game
- Sandbox mode
- More genres and topics
- Ability to move staff to a new office
- Simplified Chinese


### Game Dev Tycoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-dev-tycoon/id1162580001)

**Currently charting:** #46 Top Paid · Strategy, #51 Top Paid · Simulation, #127 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Build your own game development company from the 1980s to the present. Design and create your own games, research new technologies, and manage a team to become a market leader. Enjoy a full simulation experience without ads or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Start a game development company, Design and create your own games, Research new technologies, Hire and manage a development team, Replay gaming history, Built-in screen recording and streaming

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Cheap price
- 👍 No in-app purchases or ads
- 👍 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 👍 Realistic game development simulation
- 👍 Detailed and complex mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Game crashes on launch for some users
- 🐛 Orientation issues on iPhone X
- 🐛 Difficulty remembering research and specialist information
- 🔋 Game can be very time-consuming
- 🤔 Lack of difficulty options or sandbox mode

**Reported bugs**

- Loan payback amount inconsistency
- Game reports not carrying over knowledge

**Requested features**

- Add more console and game genre options
- Implement employee personalities and interactions
- Provide more detailed game performance history
- Allow simultaneous game development
- Add difficulty settings and sandbox mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Game Studio Tycoon 3 free?

Game Studio Tycoon 3 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Game Dev Tycoon free?

Game Dev Tycoon costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Game Studio Tycoon 3 or Game Dev Tycoon?

Game Dev Tycoon is rated higher. Game Studio Tycoon 3 averages 3.8 out of 5 from 90 ratings, while Game Dev Tycoon averages 4.9 from 24K ratings.

### Do Game Studio Tycoon 3 or Game Dev Tycoon have ads?

Neither Game Studio Tycoon 3 nor Game Dev Tycoon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Game Studio Tycoon 3 or Game Dev Tycoon?

Game Studio Tycoon 3 ships an update every 8 days, and Game Dev Tycoon every 3 months. Most recently, Game Studio Tycoon 3 was updated on October 20, 2026 and Game Dev Tycoon on October 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*