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Games like Game Dev Story: 7 Kairosoft alternatives worth playing next
If you want to keep running a game studio, Game Dev Tycoon is the closest match (95% positive on Steam, 4.99 USD on mobile). If you want Kairosoft's cozy management with a different theme, look at Dungeon Village, Hot Springs Story and Pocket Academy from the same developer. PC Cafe Tycoon only fits if you want a short idle game on your phone, and it has no game-making part.
How we picked
Kairosoft first released Game Dev Story on the iPhone in October 2010. You take over a small game company, hire and train staff, then make and sell games. So we split "similar games" into two groups: other games about running a game company, and management games from the same developer with a different theme. We added our own game as a pick for lighter, leave-it-running play.
Steam prices, reviews and supported languages were read on the Steam store pages on October 16, 2026. Mobile prices and ratings were read the same day on the App Store and Google Play pages. Game Dev Tycoon has no price on the Korean Steam store, so we list its US list price (9.99 USD). Discounts change often, so every price is the regular price. Anything a store page does not state reads "not stated."
Comparison table
Steam ratings are the share of positive reviews across all languages, and mobile ratings are store star ratings. Every Steam game supports single player (Software Inc. and Mad Games Tycoon 2 also have multiplayer).
| Game | Platform and price (list) | Rating | Korean / Japanese UI | Theme | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Dev Story | Steam 12,000 won / iOS 4.99 USD / Android 4.49 USD | Steam 90% (1,524 reviews), iOS 4.88, Android 4.7 | Both | Game company | The benchmark, and it plays fine on a phone |
| Game Dev Tycoon | Steam 9.99 USD / iOS 4.99 USD / Android 4.99 USD | Steam 95% (40,375 reviews), iOS 4.90 | Neither | The game industry from the 1980s on | Closest to running a game company |
| Software Inc. | Steam 24,840 won | Steam 94% (7,880 reviews) | English only | Software company, down to office layout | Deep and complex, built for PC |
| Mad Games Tycoon 2 | Steam 27,000 won | Steam 94% (7,846 reviews) | Both | A game company starting in 1976 | You build the HQ and server rooms yourself |
| Dungeon Village | Steam 12,000 won | Steam 89% (891 reviews) | Both | Adventurer village | Same developer, new theme |
| Hot Springs Story | Steam 12,000 won | Steam 83% (301 reviews) | Both | Hot spring inn | The relaxed side of the same developer |
| Pocket Academy | Steam 12,000 won | Steam 84% (222 reviews) | Both | School | Same developer, running a school |
| PC Cafe Tycoon (our game) | iOS and Android, free (watch an ad at payout to double it) | Not stated | Both, 8 languages in total | Neighborhood PC cafe | Short sessions on a phone, but no game-making |
The original Game Dev Story: it works on a phone
The Steam version came out in March 2022 at a list price of 12,000 won, with 90% positive across 1,524 reviews. On mobile it is 4.99 USD on the App Store (4.88 rating, 2,970 ratings) and 4.49 USD on Google Play (4.7 rating, 1M+ installs). The App Store description mentions changing staff jobs and building your own game console.
It supports 14 languages, including Korean, Japanese and English. The stores do not say whether it works offline, so we could not confirm that. If you have already played it before picking from this list, the question is which of the two groups below you miss more.
Same "game company" idea: Game Dev Tycoon, Software Inc., Mad Games Tycoon 2
Game Dev Tycoon starts with you opening a game company in the 1980s and follows the history of the industry. It has more than 40,000 Steam reviews at 95% positive, and the mobile versions are 4.99 USD on both iOS and Android. Korean is not among its Steam languages, so you would play in English.
Software Inc. goes much deeper into running a software company, from designing the office to managing staff. It is 24,840 won and English only. Mad Games Tycoon 2 starts in 1976, and you build the headquarters, production facilities and server rooms, then make and sell your own console. It is 27,000 won and supports Korean. All three are PC games first, and their Steam ratings are close at 94 to 95%.
Same developer, new theme: Dungeon Village, Hot Springs Story, Pocket Academy
If you liked the Kairosoft formula, the safest move is another game from the same developer with a different theme. All three list at 12,000 won on Steam and support Korean, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Thai, English and more.
Dungeon Village is about building a village for warriors and merchants, with 89% positive across 891 reviews. Hot Springs Story has you grow a Japanese-style hot spring inn, at 83% across 301 reviews, and Pocket Academy has you run a school, at 84% across 222 reviews. With so few reviews, the ratings can swing quickly. We did not check whether they are sold on mobile.
PC Cafe Tycoon: what it does well and where it falls short
PC Cafe Tycoon, made by Dumb Game Lab, is an idle management game where you inherit a back-alley PC cafe and grow it into the best in the country. Once you hire part-timers, the shop keeps running while the app is closed, and it works without internet. When you reopen the app, an "overnight earnings" payout appears, and the time that builds up is capped at 30 minutes. A day lasts 2 minutes and speed goes up to 3x, so it suits a few quick rounds. It comes in 8 languages: Korean, English, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Thai.
The weak spots are clear. There is no game-making, no genre and platform combining, and no Game Dev Story-style staff job training. It has 6 stages from the back alley to the whole country, so it has an end, and if you expect the depth of the PC games on this list it will feel shallow. Progress is saved on the device only, so be careful when you switch phones. Watching an ad at payout doubles that day's earnings, and you still progress if you skip it.
Which one fits you
If the game-company theme is the point, go with Game Dev Tycoon, and for more depth pick Software Inc. or Mad Games Tycoon 2. If you loved Kairosoft's feel, choose Dungeon Village, Hot Springs Story or Pocket Academy. If you want short sessions on your phone, with the shop running while the app is closed, PC Cafe Tycoon fits.
- Same game-company theme: Game Dev Tycoon
- Deeper on PC: Software Inc., Mad Games Tycoon 2
- Kairosoft feel, new theme: Dungeon Village, Hot Springs Story, Pocket Academy
- Phone, short sessions, idle: PC Cafe Tycoon
FAQ
Is there a mobile version of Game Dev Story?
Yes. It is 4.99 USD on the App Store and 4.49 USD on Google Play, and it is on Steam for 12,000 won. These are list prices as of October 16, 2026.
What is the closest game to Game Dev Story?
For the theme of running a game company, it is Game Dev Tycoon. It has more than 40,000 Steam reviews at 95% positive and costs 4.99 USD on mobile. It does not support Korean.
What should I play if I want more Kairosoft games?
On Steam, Dungeon Village, Hot Springs Story and Pocket Academy are all 12,000 won and support Korean. Only the theme changes: a village, a hot spring inn and a school.
Are there offline management games?
Every Steam game here supports single player. On mobile, PC Cafe Tycoon runs without internet. The store pages do not say whether the Game Dev Story mobile version works offline.
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