# Game Dev Story vs Dead Wake

The clearest difference is price: Dead Wake at Free against Game Dev Story's $4.99. Dead Wake also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 months). Game Dev Story's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Dead Wake is free to download; Game Dev Story costs $4.99 up front. Dead Wake sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Game Dev Story asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Game Dev Story against 5.0 for Dead Wake. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Game Dev Story has 3K ratings behind it against 1, 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 100% of Dead Wake's.

Game Dev Story ships an update every 4 months, Dead Wake every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Game Dev Story | Dead Wake |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.9 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-dev-story/id396085661/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-wake/id6801930502/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 95.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#110** | — |
| Size | 74 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kairosoft Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/381477233) | [Logan Voss](https://appshunter.io/developer/1813258380) |

## What reviewers say

### Game Dev Story

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-dev-story/id396085661)

**Currently charting:** #110 Top Paid · Strategy, #121 Top Paid · Simulation (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Dead Wake

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-wake/id6801930502)

Survive an endless horde of monsters on a highway. Grow your army, collect weapons and power-ups, and upgrade your squad in the armory to achieve the highest score on the global leaderboard.

**Highlights:** Grow your army, Pick up weapons, Collect power-ups, Visit the armory, Global leaderboard

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Advertisements | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Game Dev Story free?

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

### Is Dead Wake free?

Dead Wake is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Game Dev Story or Dead Wake?

Dead Wake is rated higher. Game Dev Story averages 4.9 out of 5 from 3K ratings, while Dead Wake averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Game Dev Story or Dead Wake have ads?

Dead Wake shows ads; Game Dev Story does not.

### Which is updated more often, Game Dev Story or Dead Wake?

Game Dev Story ships an update every 4 months, and Dead Wake every 4 days. Most recently, Game Dev Story was updated on November 9, 2026 and Dead Wake on November 6, 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.*