# Anime Studio Story vs Game Dev Tycoon

The clearest difference is rating: Game Dev Tycoon at 4.9 against Anime Studio Story's 4.0. Game Dev Tycoon also leads on ratings volume (24K vs 30) and review sentiment (91% vs 67%). Anime Studio Story's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Anime Studio Story 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 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Game Dev Tycoon has 24K ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Anime Studio Story's written reviews are positive against 91% of Game Dev Tycoon's.

Anime Studio Story ships an update every 9 months, Game Dev Tycoon every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Anime Studio Story | Game Dev Tycoon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anime-studio-story/id1077611503/reviews) | **[4.9 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-dev-tycoon/id1162580001/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 30 | **24K** |
| Positive reviews | 67.3% of reviews | **91.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#48** |
| Size | 64 MB | 204 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairosoft Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/381477233) | [Greenheart Games Pty. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/877999140) |

## What reviewers say

### Anime Studio Story

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anime-studio-story/id1077611503)

Create your own anime series with a custom character. Design your hero, choose show categories, and equip your studio with essential facilities. Train your staff to produce classic anime that will captivate audiences and bring prestige to your studio.

**Highlights:** Custom character creation, Anime production simulation, Studio facility management, Staff training and education, Show category selection, Ranking system

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Fun and engaging
- 👍 Good replay value
- 👍 Creative freedom
- 👍 Reminds of Game Dev Story

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Repetitive gameplay loop
- 👎 Too similar to Game Dev Story
- 👎 Limited features
- 👎 Tedious discovery of new designs
- 👎 Annoying background music

**Reported bugs**

- Translation not complete
- Too large on screen, buttons inaccessible
- Cannot rotate screen
- Download issues
- App crashes

**Requested features**

- Sequel to be free titled “Anime Story Studio”
- Make animations of people watching shows
- Watch shows in 30-second shorts
- Make own short and post it
- Add more themes


### Game Dev Tycoon

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

**Currently charting:** #48 Top Paid · Strategy, #54 Top Paid · Simulation, #142 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 Anime Studio Story free?

Anime Studio Story 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, Anime Studio Story or Game Dev Tycoon?

Game Dev Tycoon is rated higher. Anime Studio Story averages 4.0 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Game Dev Tycoon averages 4.9 from 24K ratings.

### Do Anime Studio Story or Game Dev Tycoon have ads?

Neither Anime Studio Story nor Game Dev Tycoon shows ads.

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

Anime Studio Story ships an update every 9 months, and Game Dev Tycoon every 3 months. Most recently, Anime Studio Story was updated on October 24, 2026 and Game Dev Tycoon on October 24, 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.*