Comparison

Game Dev Story vs After Inc.

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

Head to head
About

Game Dev Story

Build your own game development studio from the ground up. Hire and train staff, research new genres, and develop hit games to conquer the industry. Create your own consoles and aim for a million-selling title.

Highlights
  • Manage game company
  • Develop own game console
  • Train staff members
  • Unlock new genres
  • Discover popular combinations
  • Develop for latest platforms
Features
Read full description

Manage your own game company and try to create a million-selling game in this unique simulation. Features the ability to develop your company's own game console, plus a system for changing your staff members' professions. Hire talented people and train them to develop their skills. As your staff gets more experience, you will unlock a wider array of game genres and content to develop. Try to find the most popular combinations and develop for the latest platform! Your staff members can have a variety of game-related professions, from programmer to sound engineer. Work hard and you may reach the top of the video game industry! -- Try searching for "Kairosoft" to see all of our games, or visit us at https://kairopark.jp. Be sure to check out both our free-to-play and our paid games! https://twitter.com/kairokun2010

About

After Inc.

Rebuild civilization after a zombie apocalypse by building a settlement, exploring, and scavenging for resources. Make difficult societal decisions and defend against zombie threats in a persistent campaign.

Highlights
  • Build and expand settlements
  • Explore a post-apocalyptic world
  • Scavenge for resources
  • Make difficult societal decisions
  • Defend against zombie infestations
  • Research new technologies
  • Persistent campaign with multiple settlements
Features
Read full description

Can you rebuild civilization after a zombie apocalypse? From the creator of Plague Inc. comes a unique blend of strategic simulation, survival city builder and ‘mini 4X’. Decades after the Necroa Virus ravaged humanity, a few survivors emerge. Build a settlement, explore, scavenge resources and expand as you shape your post-apocalyptic society. The world is green and beautiful but danger lurks in the ruins! After Inc. is the brand new game from the creator of ‘Plague Inc.’ - one of the most popular games ever with over 190 million players. Brilliantly executed with beautiful graphics and critically acclaimed gameplay - After Inc. is engaging and easy to learn. Build multiple settlements and gain abilities in a persistent campaign to lead humanity out of the darkness. Public Service Announcement: Unlike our other games, I’m pleased to say that After Inc. is not based on any real world situation. No need to start worrying about a real life zombie apocalypse yet… ◈◈◈ What happens after Plague Inc.? ◈◈◈ Features: ● Make difficult decisions - Are children an unaffordable luxury? Are dogs pets or a food source? Democracy or Authoritarianism? ● Explore a beautiful post-apocalyptic United Kingdom ● Exploit the ruins of the past to scavenge / harvest resources ● Expand your Settlement with housing, farms, lumberyards and much more ● Exterminate zombie infestations and defend humanity ● Uncover old technologies and research new ones ● Shape your society and provide services to keep your people happy ● Build multiple settlements in a persistent campaign and level up abilities ● Ultra realistic modelling of Zombie behaviour based on real life studies… :P ● Sophisticated narrative algorithms shaped by your decisions ● 5 unique leaders with radically different abilities ● Internet connectivity not required ● No ‘consumable microtransactions. Expansion Packs are ‘buy once, play forever’ ●Will be updated for years to come. Special sale price to celebrate the launch of the game! ◈◈◈ I’ve got lots of plans for updates! Get in touch and let me know what you want to see. James (the designer) Contact me here: www.ndemiccreations.com/en/1-support www.twitter.com/NdemicCreations

Screenshots

Game Dev Story4 screens
After Inc.4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Game Dev Story at none against After Inc.'s 14. Game Dev Story also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). After Inc.'s advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and price ($1.99 vs $4.99). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support 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 Story costs $4.99 and After Inc. $1.99 up front. After Inc. sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Game Dev Story asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Game Dev Story against 4.8 for After Inc.. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: After Inc. has 17K ratings behind it against 3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 96% of Game Dev Story's written reviews are positive against 89% of After Inc.'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Game Dev Story ships an update every 4 months, After Inc. weekly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Game Dev Story versus After Inc.: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGame Dev StoryAfter Inc.
Price$4.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.9 (3K ratings) — better4.8 (17K ratings)
Positive reviews95.7% of reviews — better88.6% of reviews
Number of ratings3K17K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#80#11 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB288 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperKairosoft Co.,LtdNdemic Creations

Customer experience

Game Dev Story

All ratings2,943 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews1,435 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.4%

After Inc.

All ratings16,523 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews2,430 reviews
Positive88.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative7.8%

User reviews

Game Dev Story

From 3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fun game
  • 👍 Simple, creative, and fun
  • 👍 Nostalgic and fun
  • 👍 Relaxing and enjoyable
  • 👍 Great time-killer

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes on newer devices
  • 🐛 Lack of explanation for some mechanics
  • 🐛 Difficulty in obtaining certain resources (e.g. hardware engineer)

After Inc.

From 17K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great game
  • 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 💡 Interesting concept and mechanics
  • 👍 Offline play
  • 👍 Good value for money

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔒 Content locked behind paywall
  • 🔒 Lack of free play mode
  • 🔒 Limited number of missions
  • 🐛 Scrolling issues in menus

Bugs and requests

Game Dev Story

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Blackouts causing loss of progress
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices
  • Difficulty in obtaining certain resources

Requested features

5 requests
  • More consoles and game genres
  • Ability to customize console designs
  • Expanded content and longer playtime
  • More staff and office options
  • Improved late-game progression and challenges

After Inc.

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Sudden zombie attacks crippling settlements
  • Moral system being too punishing
  • Difficulty balancing issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Endless/sandbox mode
  • More varied mission types
  • Ability to customize settlement
  • Improved camera controls
  • More content updates and expansions

In-app purchases

None

Game Dev Story

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

After Inc.

One-time14
  • Survival Guide$2.99
  • New Leaders$4.99
  • Cheats & Punishment$4.99
Show 11 more
  • Ultimate Pack (big discount)$4.99
  • Season 2 Pass (Discount)$6.99
  • Critical Mass$6.99
  • Season 1 Pack (discount)$6.99
  • Beyond the Bunkers$6.99
  • Shadows of the Past$6.99
  • Season 2 Pass$9.99
  • Season 1 Pack$9.99
  • Ultimate Pack (discount)$11.99
  • Ultimate Pack$14.99
  • Season 1 Pack (full)$19.99

Questions

Is Game Dev Story free?
Game Dev Story costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is After Inc. free?
After Inc. costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Game Dev Story or After Inc.?
Game Dev Story is rated higher. Game Dev Story averages 4.9 out of 5 from 3K ratings, while After Inc. averages 4.8 from 17K ratings.
Do Game Dev Story or After Inc. have ads?
Neither Game Dev Story nor After Inc. shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Game Dev Story or After Inc.?
Game Dev Story ships an update every 4 months, and After Inc. weekly. Most recently, Game Dev Story was updated on October 30, 2026 and After Inc. on October 30, 2026.
Which is more popular, Game Dev Story or After Inc.?
Game Dev Story currently peaks at #80 in the App Store charts, and After Inc. at #11. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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