Report updated Apr 17, 2026
Pocket GM 2: Football Sim
For hardcore American football fans and simulation gaming enthusiasts who enjoy deep, data-driven franchise management and community-driven content.
Pocket GM 2: Football Sim is an established games app that is a paid app. With a 4.9/5 rating from 2.4K reviews, it shows polarized user reception.
What is Pocket GM 2: Football Sim?
Current Momentum
v1.5 · 39mo ago
ZombiePocket GM 2 is currently in maintenance mode, with no significant feature updates since January 2023.
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
Loading...
What Are The Key Features?
Allows users to import custom team and player rosters created by the community.
Ability to intentionally lose games to secure a higher draft pick.
Watch football games play out in real-time with shifting momentum.
How much does it cost?
- One-time purchase of $0.99
Low-cost, one-time purchase model that avoids the common 'annual release' cycle, positioning the game as a stable, long-term simulation experience compared to F2P rivals.
Who Built It?
Jonathan Howell
Providing hardcore sports fans with deep, text-based franchise management simulations that prioritize strategic depth over arcade graphics.
Portfolio
3
Apps
What other apps does Jonathan Howell make?
Explore the full Jonathan Howell report
Portfolio breakdown, audience, momentum, and every app published by Jonathan Howell.
What do users think recently?
Analysis in progress, available soon
View the full user-sentiment analysis
Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.
What is the competitive landscape for Pocket GM 2: Football Sim?
Where is it available?
Localized markets (1)
How's The Games Market?
How does it evolve in the Games market?
Rank progression
18 active rankings tracked — 30-day window
The rivals identified
The outtake for Pocket GM 2: Football Sim
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Exceptional 4.86-star user rating
- Community roster import feature bypasses licensing issues
- Strong 'buy once' value proposition
- Deep strategic mechanics like 'Strategic Tanking'
Critical Frictions
- Last updated Jan 2023 (potential maintenance mode)
- iOS exclusive platform availability
- Limited visual UI compared to visual-heavy competitors
- Solo developer dependency
Growth Levers
- Android market expansion
- Implementation of facility/stadium management (competitor gap)
- Formalized community integration within the app
Market Threats
- Internal cannibalization by Pocket GM 3
- Rapid growth of Retro Bowl College in the sim space
- Ultimate Pro Football GM's deeper secondary systems (facilities/sponsorships)
What are the next best moves?
Evaluate 'Facility Management' feature addition
The Nemesis (Ultimate Pro Football GM) wins on secondary systems like stadium and facility upgrades which are currently absent in Pocket GM 2.
Execute a 'Compatibility & Roster' maintenance update
The app hasn't been updated since Jan 2023; ensuring stability on newer iOS versions is critical to maintaining its #47 Paid ranking.
Deepen Community Roster UI
This is the primary 'Target App Win' over the Nemesis; making this feature more prominent or easier to use solidifies the core differentiator.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Complex coaching staff and facility management (available in Ultimate Pro Football GM)
- Stadium upgrades and sponsorship management (available in Ultimate Pro Football GM)
- Narrative player stories/events (available in Astonishing Football Manager)
- Granular play-calling and formations (available in Pro Strategy Football 2024)
Key Takeaways
Pocket GM 2 is a high-performing legacy asset that maintains strong chart positions due to its unique community roster support and fair pricing. While it faces a threat from its own successor (Pocket GM 3) and deeper F2P rivals, its 4.86 rating proves the core simulation engine is best-in-class for its niche.
Where Is It Heading?
Stable
Maintains #47 Paid ranking (US) with a 4.86 rating — strong organic pull despite age.
Last updated Jan 2023 — indicates the product is likely in maintenance mode, not active expansion.