Comparison

Game Dev Tycoon vs Escapists 2

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Game Dev Tycoon

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
Read full description

"It’s the perfect sort of game for mobile devices and there’s so much to do here [...]" - 5/5 - Toucharcade Game Dev Tycoon is a casual business simulation game where your success depends on your creativity and willingness to experiment. The game does *not* contain any in-app purchases or ads. Slip into the role of a game developer: start your own company, design your own games and make your way to the top to become a Game Dev Tycoon. - Start your own game development company in the 80s - Replay gaming history - Design and create your own games - Hold your breath and wait for reviews to come in - Research new technologies - Hire and manage a world-leading development team - Become the leader of the market - Gain worldwide fans Game Dev Tycoon for iPhone and iPad introduces: - An updated story line - New topics to enable even more varied games - A challenging (but optional) ‘pirate mode’ - Built-in screen recording and streaming support Game Dev Tycoon does not require an internet connection so go ahead and build your gaming empire in Airplane Mode.

About

Escapists 2

Engage in a thrilling sandbox strategy game where you must plan and execute prison escapes. Customize your character, team up with friends for local multiplayer, and utilize crafting, training, and combat to break free from 13 unique prisons.

Highlights
  • Prison escape simulation
  • Character customization
  • Local multiplayer for up to 4 players
  • Crafting system for escape items
  • Prison routine management
  • Combat system
Features
Read full description

The Escapists 2 is a hilariously thrilling, sandbox strategy experience that issues the not-so-simple challenge of escaping from prison. Create your own con with hundreds of customisation options, go it alone or conspire with up to 3 of your friends to create the ultimate escape with local multiplayer! Download The Escapists 2: Pocket Breakout today…It would be a crime not to! Key Features: Addictive prison simulation game with all new features! 13 handpicked prisons filled with indie sandbox madness! Buy, barter and beat your way to acquiring the much-needed items to create dozens of crafting combinations to aid your escape! Blend in to bust out, prison life is filled with routine, make sure you attend role call, clock in for you job and remain under the radar. You’ve got time, so spend it well! Train your mind at the library and your body at the gym to give you the brains and brawn to breakout! With the revamped combat system, you’ll be chaining and blocking attacks to deliver an epic breakout beatdown. Put the craft in crafty! Traverse through prison life, forge friendships, pull the wool over guard’s the eyes or out-right bribe them!

Screenshots

Game Dev Tycoon4 screens
Escapists 24 screens

Verdict

The call

Game Dev Tycoon and Escapists 2 both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Game Dev Tycoon's written reviews are positive against 63% of Escapists 2's. Game Dev Tycoon also leads on price ($4.99 vs $6.99) and chart position (#35 vs #119). Escapists 2's advantage is iOS requirement (12.1 vs 17.0). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Game Dev Tycoon costs $4.99 and Escapists 2 $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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 10K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Game Dev Tycoon's written reviews are positive against 63% of Escapists 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Game Dev Tycoon ships an update every 3 months, Escapists 2 every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Game Dev Tycoon versus Escapists 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGame Dev TycoonEscapists 2
Price$4.99 — better$6.99
Rating4.9 (24K ratings) — better4.7 (10K ratings)
Positive reviews91.1% of reviews — better62.5% of reviews
Number of ratings24K — better10K
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#35 — better#119
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.012.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size204 MB1.4 GB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperGreenheart Games Pty. Ltd.Team17 Digital Limited

Customer experience

Game Dev Tycoon

All ratings24,004 ratings
Positive98.6%
Neutral0.6%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews1,111 reviews
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.9%
Negative5.0%

Escapists 2

All ratings10,260 ratings
Positive93.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews753 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral11.3%
Negative26.2%

User reviews

Game Dev Tycoon

From 24K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Escapists 2

From 10K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎨 Great graphics and art style
  • 🕹️ Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 🤝 Enjoyable multiplayer experience
  • 💰 Good value for the price

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
  • 🔍 Lack of progress saving/loss of progress
  • 🔌 High battery consumption
  • 🔒 Multiplayer limited to local network
  • 🤔 Repetitive gameplay after completing prisons

Bugs and requests

Game Dev Tycoon

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Loan payback amount inconsistency
  • Game reports not carrying over knowledge

Requested features

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Implement mod support and custom content

Escapists 2

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Game crashes on startup or when entering prisons
  • Save data corruption and loss of progress
  • Multiplayer connection issues and freezing
  • Graphical glitches and performance problems
  • Unresponsive controls and UI elements

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more prisons and maps
  • Implement online/global multiplayer
  • Add a prison builder/custom prison feature
  • Introduce a guard mode for multiplayer
  • Improve tutorial and onboarding

In-app purchases

None

Game Dev Tycoon

No in-app purchases

None

Escapists 2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Game Dev Tycoon free?
Game Dev Tycoon costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Escapists 2 free?
Escapists 2 costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Game Dev Tycoon or Escapists 2?
Game Dev Tycoon is rated higher. Game Dev Tycoon averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Escapists 2 averages 4.7 from 10K ratings.
Do Game Dev Tycoon or Escapists 2 have ads?
Neither Game Dev Tycoon nor Escapists 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Game Dev Tycoon or Escapists 2?
Game Dev Tycoon ships an update every 3 months, and Escapists 2 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Game Dev Tycoon was updated on October 31, 2026 and Escapists 2 on October 31, 2026.
Which is more popular, Game Dev Tycoon or Escapists 2?
Game Dev Tycoon currently peaks at #35 in the App Store charts, and Escapists 2 at #119. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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