# Game Dev Tycoon vs Magic Research 2

The clearest difference is update cadence: Magic Research 2 at every 3 days against Game Dev Tycoon's every 3 months. Magic Research 2 also leads on chart position (#16 vs #56) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Game Dev Tycoon's advantage is ratings volume (24K vs 115) and review sentiment (91% vs 82%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Game Dev Tycoon costs $4.99 and Magic Research 2 $4.69 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Game Dev Tycoon against 4.8 for Magic Research 2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Game Dev Tycoon has 24K ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Game Dev Tycoon's written reviews are positive against 82% of Magic Research 2's.

Game Dev Tycoon ships an update every 3 months, Magic Research 2 every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Game Dev Tycoon | Magic Research 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$4.69** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-dev-tycoon/id1162580001/reviews)** | [4.8 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 115 |
| Positive reviews | **91.1% of reviews** | 82.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #56 | **#16** |
| Size | 204 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Greenheart Games Pty. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/877999140) | [Matias Ezequiel Colotto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1669682477) |

## What reviewers say

### Game Dev Tycoon

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

**Currently charting:** #56 Top Paid · Simulation, #56 Top Paid · Strategy, #162 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


### Magic Research 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840)

**Currently charting:** #16 Top Paid · Role Playing, #53 Top Paid · Simulation, #140 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Embark on a magical quest as a rookie wizard to find or create the Philosopher's Stone. Utilize over 120 spells, transmute hundreds of items, and lead a team of wizards in a semi-automated combat system. Explore dozens of areas, uncover secrets, and experience over 60 hours of gameplay.

**Highlights:** Over 120 distinct spells, Transmute over 250 items, Control a team of wizards, Semi-automated combat system, Explore dozens of areas, Discover secrets and storylines, Retirement bonuses for faster progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic sequel, better than the first
- 👍 Incredible sense of progression
- 💡 Fun build types, best in genre
- 👍 Incremental masterclass, gold standard
- 👍 True semi-idle masterpiece

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Extremely complicated, tedious timers
- 🐛 UI is absolutely atrocious
- 🐛 Time pieces cap out at 100k
- 🐛 UI issues, not easy to navigate
- 🐛 Sorting doesn't sort exactly as wanted

**Reported bugs**

- App instantly crashes on open
- Game crashes on startup
- App started rapidly pushing buttons on its own
- Overheating phone
- Lags and gets choppy in the late game

**Requested features**

- DLC or sequel news
- macOS version
- Better automation and convenience features
- Tweak familiar search time down
- Release the next one


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Game Dev Tycoon free?

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

### Is Magic Research 2 free?

Magic Research 2 costs $4.69, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Game Dev Tycoon or Magic Research 2?

Game Dev Tycoon is rated higher. Game Dev Tycoon averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Magic Research 2 averages 4.8 from 115 ratings.

### Do Game Dev Tycoon or Magic Research 2 have ads?

Neither Game Dev Tycoon nor Magic Research 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Game Dev Tycoon or Magic Research 2?

Game Dev Tycoon ships an update every 3 months, and Magic Research 2 every 3 days. Most recently, Game Dev Tycoon was updated on October 14, 2026 and Magic Research 2 on October 12, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Game Dev Tycoon or Magic Research 2?

Game Dev Tycoon currently peaks at #56 in the App Store charts, and Magic Research 2 at #16. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*