# Game Dev Tycoon vs Pocket City

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pocket City at monthly against Game Dev Tycoon's every 3 months. Pocket City also leads on price ($2.99 vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). Game Dev Tycoon's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (91% vs 80%). On ads, in-app purchases, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Game Dev Tycoon costs $4.99 and Pocket City $2.99 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 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24K and 5.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Game Dev Tycoon's written reviews are positive against 80% of Pocket City's.

Game Dev Tycoon ships an update every 3 months, Pocket City monthly. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Game Dev Tycoon | Pocket City |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-dev-tycoon/id1162580001/reviews)** | [4.7 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-city/id1330451888/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 5.1K |
| Positive reviews | **91.1% of reviews** | 79.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#46** | #47 |
| Size | 204 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Greenheart Games Pty. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/877999140) | [Codebrew Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1330451887) |

## What reviewers say

### Game Dev Tycoon

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

**Currently charting:** #46 Top Paid · Strategy, #50 Top Paid · Simulation, #123 Top Paid · Games, #195 Top Paid (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


### Pocket City

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-city/id1330451888)

**Currently charting:** #47 Top Paid · Strategy, #51 Top Paid · Simulation, #126 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Become a mayor and construct your own thriving metropolis. Design residential, commercial, and industrial areas, add recreational spaces, and manage challenges like crime and disasters to see your city flourish.

**Highlights:** Build residential, commercial, and industrial zones, Create parks and recreation areas, Respond to crime and disasters, No microtransactions or wait times, Unlock content through gameplay, Classic city building simulation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 No in-app purchases
- 🚀 Fast building times
- 🎨 Charming graphics
- 🕹️ Enjoyable gameplay
- 🔓 Offline playable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Limited map size
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔧 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when placing buildings
- Power plants not connecting to grid properly
- Blurry textures on high-end devices
- Difficulty navigating map when placing buildings

**Requested features**

- Larger map sizes
- More building and upgrade options
- Ability to rotate buildings
- Day/night cycle and weather effects
- Expanded transportation options (e.g. subways, trains)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Game Dev Tycoon free?

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

### Is Pocket City free?

Pocket City costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Game Dev Tycoon or Pocket City?

Game Dev Tycoon is rated higher. Game Dev Tycoon averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Pocket City averages 4.7 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do Game Dev Tycoon or Pocket City have ads?

Neither Game Dev Tycoon nor Pocket City shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Game Dev Tycoon or Pocket City?

Game Dev Tycoon ships an update every 3 months, and Pocket City monthly. Most recently, Game Dev Tycoon was updated on October 17, 2026 and Pocket City on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Game Dev Tycoon or Pocket City?

Game Dev Tycoon currently peaks at #46 in the App Store charts, and Pocket City at #47. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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