Hunting Game

Privacy Policy for Hunting Game

Effective Date: November 11, 2023
Last Updated: August 17, 2025 (Comprehensive Revision & Clarifications)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Thank you for choosing to play Hunting Game (the "Game" or "Service"), a location‑assisted real-time multiplayer experience. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, how long we keep it, how we protect it, and what rights you may have. We practice deliberate data minimization, especially for sensitive categories like precise location.

By downloading, installing, accessing, or using the Game you acknowledge and accept this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not install or use the Game. Links to this Policy are available in-app (settings), on store listings, and on related legal pages. Certain features (e.g., precise location, notifications) require separate OS permissions; denying them may limit functionality.

Summary (At a Glance)

  • Only the minimum data necessary for real-time multiplayer gameplay, stability, anti‑abuse, and purchase entitlement is collected.
  • Precise live location is handled ephemerally in memory and never persisted to the database.
  • Game session records (players, settings, temporary hack states, chat) are stored during play in PostgreSQL and removed shortly after the session concludes via automated cleanup.
  • Purchases are mediated through RevenueCat and platform billing; we never receive full payment card numbers.
  • Analytics & performance metrics: Firebase. Crash & error diagnostics: Sentry. Purchase entitlements: RevenueCat. Real‑time transport: Socket.IO. Local storage: MMKV.
  • No behavioral advertising, ad networks, cross‑app tracking, or sale of personal information.
  • Data retention is deliberately short for gameplay data; most live game telemetry is non-persistent.
  • You retain rights under applicable laws (GDPR / UK GDPR / CCPA / CPRA, etc.).
  • No automated decision-making with legal or similarly significant effects.

Scope & Definitions

"Game" or "Service" refers to the Hunting Game mobile application, related backend APIs, real-time infrastructure, companion Apple Watch app, and associated legal or informational web pages. "You" or "Player" refers to an individual end user. "Personal data" / "personal information" is interpreted per applicable law (e.g., GDPR, CCPA). Where we use "ephemeral" we mean data retained only in volatile process memory for a very short operational interval (milliseconds to a few seconds) and not written to persistent storage.

Information We Collect

We collect and process the following categories of information. Some is transient (memory only), some exists locally on your device, and some is briefly stored server-side for gameplay.

Player Profile & Session Data

  • Player ID (randomly generated UUID)
  • Username (as entered by you)
  • Game ID (the session identifier you join)
  • Role and role changes (Runner / Hunter / Supervisor)
  • Was Runner / became Hunter status flags
  • Arrest status and arrestation code (for capture mechanics)
  • Readiness / lobby ready state
  • Ownership / host status
  • Visibility / hack effect timestamps (e.g., blinded, invisible, pinged, temporary map access)
  • Left game / disconnected status
  • Timestamps (creation, state change times)

Game Configuration & Mechanics Data

  • Game ID
  • Location update interval configuration
  • Maximum game length & computed end time
  • Runner-to-Hunter transformation setting
  • Player roster (player IDs & roles)
  • Game start & end timestamps
  • Game started / in-progress status
  • Hack configuration (enabled/disabled, available hack counts, cooldowns, durations)
  • Compass difficulty setting
  • Game mode (e.g., Standard / variants)
  • Playable area definition (center coordinates, radius values, contraction/final size percentage)
  • Pro subscription eligibility flag for the lobby

Real-Time Location Data

  • Current device GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude and accuracy) when you grant permission
  • Timing and interval metadata related to updates
  • Decoy/fake location coordinates (for hack features)

Location data is transmitted via encrypted socket connections to other players in your active game. It is cached in server memory only for batching and broadcast efficiency (milliseconds to a few seconds) and not persisted to the database. When the game ends or you leave, the in-memory cache is cleared.

Communications & Chat

  • In-game text messages (content, sender ID, team / scope, timestamp)
  • System notifications (game start, end, arrests) derived from state changes

Chat messages exist only for the duration of the active game plus a short automated cleanup window, then are deleted.

Device & Technical Data

  • Device model & OS version (for performance and diagnostics via Firebase & Sentry)
  • Approximate IP-based region/country (for aggregate analytics)
  • App version & build identifiers
  • Crash stack traces and performance metrics
  • Push notification token (to deliver in-game notifications)
  • Apple Watch connectivity metadata (if paired)
  • Network performance metrics (Firebase Performance SDK)

Purchases & Subscription Data

  • RevenueCat-provided purchase / subscription status
  • Transaction identifiers & product identifiers
  • Entitlement flags (e.g., active Pro status)
  • Restoration status (when you restore purchases)

We do not receive or store your full payment card details; those are handled by the App Store / Google Play.

Analytics, Performance & Diagnostic Data

We use third-party services to understand usage patterns and improve stability:

Firebase (Analytics & Performance)

Collects anonymized or pseudonymized usage metrics such as:

  • Usage statistics (game sessions count, feature engagement)
  • Device & platform information (model, OS version)
  • Approximate region (derived from IP)
  • Performance timings (cold start, network latency, rendering)
  • In-app event logs (e.g., feedback prompt responses)

Data is either aggregated or pseudonymized before analysis. We do not build behavioral advertising profiles.

Sentry

Collects runtime error and crash diagnostics:

  • Stack traces & error context
  • Device & OS data at crash time
  • Breadcrumbs (recent actions/events leading to the issue)
  • App version & build identifiers

Used solely to identify, reproduce, and resolve technical issues. Retention is limited (see Data Retention).

RevenueCat

Handles in-app purchases & subscription lifecycle management:

  • Active subscription & entitlement state
  • Transaction / receipt identifiers
  • Platform-specific purchase tokens (for validation / restoration)

Retained as long as needed to manage entitlements, comply with platform requirements, and honor restorations.

Watch App & Companion Device Data

If you use the Apple Watch companion app, the watch receives:

  • Current approximate heading / compass-related calculations
  • Your current or last known in-game location (only while a game is active)
  • Selected game status indicators (e.g., role, hack effects) This data flows from your paired iPhone; it is not separately stored on our servers.

Local (On-Device) Storage

We use secure key-value storage (MMKV) on your device to persist:

  • Your generated player/account identifier
  • Language / localization preference
  • Basic settings & UI preferences
  • Pro entitlement flags (mirrored from RevenueCat)
  • Cached game state fragments for smoother reconnection

You can remove this data by uninstalling the app or (where provided) using in-app reset options. MMKV does not encrypt data by default; it relies on OS-level protections. Do not install or run the Game on a compromised or rooted/jailbroken device if you wish to maintain data confidentiality.

Server Maintenance & Operational Logs

  • Basic server/service logs (e.g., error traces, initialization messages, system health checks) may be generated for operational integrity and abuse prevention.
  • Such logs may incidentally include: timestamp, request path/route, generic event names, and (hosting‑level) IP metadata. We do not enrich these with gameplay chat or precise location.
  • Debug socket event logging is disabled in production (enabled only in development builds) as reflected in code paths guarding console output by environment checks.

How We Use Information

We process data strictly for defined, limited purposes:

  • Core Gameplay: Real-time synchronization (roles, hacks, compass logic, arrests, victory checks, playable area calculations).
  • Session & State Management: Lobby readiness, host continuity, role changes, hack cooldown enforcement.
  • Cheat, Fraud & Abuse Mitigation: App Check token validation, anti‑tampering sanity checks, rate limitation safeguards.
  • Experience & Feature Improvement: Aggregated, pseudonymized analytics to tune intervals, difficulty, and balancing.
  • Diagnostics & Stability: Identifying crashes, regressions, and performance bottlenecks.
  • Purchases & Entitlements: Determining and restoring Pro subscription or one‑time purchase access.
  • Localization & UX: Persisting interface language and basic preference flags.
  • Notifications: Time‑critical alerts (e.g., game start countdowns, arrest/role events) where permissions granted.
  • Legal & Compliance: Responding to lawful requests, enforcing Terms, protecting rights.

We do not engage in automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you under GDPR / UK GDPR Article 22. Game logic (e.g., hack cooldowns, arrest determination) is purely mechanical, transient, and user‑initiated within gameplay context.

Legal Bases for Processing (EEA/UK Users)

Where applicable:

  • Performance of a Contract: Core gameplay features you request.
  • Legitimate Interests: Security, fraud and misuse prevention, service improvement, minimal analytics (balanced against player privacy).
  • Consent: Precise location, push notifications, platform tracking transparency where required.
  • Legal Obligations: Purchase records, regulatory or lawful disclosure obligations.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

The mobile app itself does not use traditional web cookies. Companion web pages (legal/admin) may set strictly necessary session or security cookies only. No advertising or cross-site tracking cookies are used. Web-based analytics events (if any) are handled through Firebase consistent with the minimization principles described here.

Third-Party Services

Below is an overview of core third parties involved in data processing:

Firebase (Analytics & Performance)

Used for anonymous or pseudonymous usage metrics and performance monitoring. No precise location or chat content is sent to Firebase.

Sentry

Used for crash/error diagnostics. We minimize inclusion of personal identifiers and do not intentionally send chat content or precise location in error payloads.

RevenueCat

Used to mediate purchases and entitlements with Apple App Store / Google Play. Provides subscription status; we do not store payment card details.

Socket.IO Real-Time Service

Facilitates encrypted transport of real-time game events (roles, hacks, player states, ephemeral location). Location is kept in short-lived memory caches only.

Expo & React Native Modules

  • expo-location / task manager: Foreground/background location updates.
  • expo-notifications: Push notifications (stores device push token).
  • expo-tracking-transparency (iOS): Requests tracking permission where required.
  • react-native-mmkv: Local on-device key-value persistence.
  • Apple Watch connectivity module: Syncs selected gameplay state to companion device.

We periodically review third-party SDK configurations to limit data scope to operational needs.

Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell personal data. We disclose only to:

  • Service providers acting on documented instructions (analytics, diagnostics, hosting, purchase mediation, database, real-time infrastructure).
  • Law enforcement or regulators when legally required.
  • Successor entities (merger, acquisition, restructuring) under equivalent protections.

Aggregated or de-identified statistics (e.g., number of games per region) may be published without identifying individuals.

International Data Transfers

Data may be processed in jurisdictions different from yours (including the United States or EU member states). Where legally required, we rely on appropriate safeguards (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses) or provider compliance frameworks.

Data Retention

We apply strict purpose-based retention:

  • Real-time location data: Volatile memory only; discarded after broadcast (usually under a few seconds). Never written to disk or database.
  • Game session records (players, settings, hacks JSON, playable area, state flags): Stored in PostgreSQL for the active session; removed after end-of-game cleanup tasks run (normally minutes; longer only if technical delays). Deleted once no longer operationally required.
  • Chat messages: Deleted alongside their parent game records in the same cleanup cycle.
  • Fake / decoy locations: Removed with associated game and player deletion.
  • App Check tokens: Automatically pruned ~14 days after creation as per helper cleanup logic.
  • Analytics & performance metrics (Firebase): Retained according to Firebase standard policies; analyzed primarily in aggregate/pseudonymized form.
  • Error & crash diagnostics (Sentry): Retained only for issue triage and automatically aged out per Sentry retention configuration.
  • Purchase / subscription (RevenueCat): Retained for entitlement integrity, fraud prevention, platform compliance, and restoration capability.
  • Local device storage (MMKV): Persists until uninstall, OS-level data clear, or in‑app reset where provided.
  • Operational logs: Short-lived and rotated; used solely for stability, abuse mitigation, and security monitoring.

If legal obligations require longer retention (e.g., dispute resolution), we retain only the minimal necessary records.

Security Measures

We implement proportionate technical and organizational safeguards:

  • TLS encryption for API and real-time socket transport.
  • Principle of least privilege for database, infrastructure, and CI/CD secrets.
  • Regular dependency patching and vulnerability review.
  • Segregated environments (development vs. production) to reduce inadvertent data mixing.
  • Automated cleanup jobs minimizing persistence windows for transient game data.
  • Monitoring, error tracking, and rate limiting to surface anomalies.
  • App Check token validation to deter unauthorized automated access.

Important Limitations

No method of transmission, networking, or storage (local or cloud) is 100% secure. While we employ proportionate safeguards, we cannot guarantee absolute security of any information. You acknowledge residual risk inherent in online and real‑time multiplayer systems.

Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

  • Maintaining control of your device(s) and safeguarding OS-level permissions (location, notifications).
  • Installing updates promptly to receive security and stability improvements.
  • Avoiding use on compromised, rooted, or jailbroken devices which may undermine security protections.
  • Managing who you share Game IDs or session links with; sessions aren't designed as private secure communications channels.
  • Exercising situational awareness while playing (e.g., do not compromise physical safety while moving based on in‑game prompts). Physical safety considerations fall outside this Privacy Policy’s scope.

Your Rights (Depending on Jurisdiction)

GDPR / UK GDPR Rights

If you are in the EEA or UK you may have the right to:

  • Access your personal data
  • Rectify inaccurate data
  • Erase data (where no longer necessary / no overriding legitimate grounds)
  • Restrict processing under certain conditions
  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Data portability (structured, commonly used, machine-readable format)
  • Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent (e.g., precise location, notifications)

CCPA / CPRA (California) Rights

California residents may have the right to:

  • Know the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected
  • Request deletion (subject to exceptions)
  • Correct inaccurate information
  • Opt out of "sale" or "sharing" (we do neither in the ad-tech sense)
  • Limit use of sensitive personal information (we only use location for gameplay functionality)
  • Non-discrimination for exercising these rights

We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

How to Exercise Your Rights

Email: [email protected]. Provide:

  • Player ID (if available)
  • Jurisdiction (e.g., EU, UK, California)
  • The specific right(s) you wish to exercise

We may request additional verification. Because most gameplay data is short-lived, records from past sessions may already have been deleted and thus cannot be retrieved, exported, or erased (they no longer exist).

Important Practical Limitations

  • Ephemeral session data: Most gameplay state (roles, transient locations, hack states, chat) vanishes shortly after session end.
  • Aggregated / anonymized analytics: Not reasonably linkable back to an individual; rights like access/erasure typically do not apply.
  • Crash logs: If still retained and identifiable we can remove; otherwise may be auto-purged already.
  • Purchases / subscriptions: Some entitlement history must persist for legal/platform compliance; we can cease non-essential future processing where feasible.
  • Local device data: Controlled by you; uninstall or clear app data to remove.

If you submit a request during an active game, include approximate game start time and Game ID to attempt action before cleanup. Once cleanup executes, we can only confirm deletion has already occurred.

Children's Privacy

The Game is not directed to children under 13 (or under the age defined by local law—16 in some jurisdictions). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children in those age groups. If you believe a child has provided data, contact us and we will promptly delete it.

Do Not Track Signals

We do not respond to browser-based Do Not Track (DNT) signals. We already avoid cross-site tracking and behavioral advertising practices.

Service Availability & No Warranty

We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation of the Game or that retention/cleanup jobs execute within exact timeframes during outages. Third-party disruptions (Firebase, Sentry, RevenueCat, hosting providers, platform app stores, or network carriers) may affect availability. We disclaim responsibility for acts/omissions of third parties operating under their own policies.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in features, legal requirements, or technical practices. The "Last Updated" date will change accordingly. Material changes may also be communicated in-app or via release notes. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

Contact Us

Questions, requests, or complaints:

  • Email: [email protected]
  • (If you are in the EEA/UK and wish to escalate, you may contact your local data protection authority.)

Appendix A: Data Inventory Mapping

Category Specific Fields / Examples Storage Medium Retention Summary
Player Profile & Session Player ID, username, role, readiness, hack states, arrest code, ownership, timestamps PostgreSQL During game + short cleanup window
Game Configuration Game ID, mode, location interval, max length, hacks JSON, compass difficulty, playable area PostgreSQL During game + short cleanup window
Location (live) Latitude/longitude, accuracy, timestamp Memory (server), transient network Seconds (not persisted)
Fake Locations Decoy lat/long/time PostgreSQL (linked) During game + cleanup
Chat Messages Sender ID, to team, content, timestamp PostgreSQL During game + cleanup
Purchases / Entitlements Entitlement flags, product IDs, transaction IDs RevenueCat (cloud), local flag (MMKV) Active subscription duration + platform requirements
Analytics / Performance Session counts, device model, OS version, events Firebase Aggregated/standard retention
Crash / Error Diagnostics Stack traces, device/OS, breadcrumbs Sentry Until issue resolution / rolling purge
App Check Tokens Token string, creation date PostgreSQL ~14 days (auto delete)
Local Preferences Language, UI flags, pro status Device (MMKV) Until uninstall/reset
Notifications Push token Device + notification provider Until token invalidated or cleared
Watch Sync Role, heading, location snapshot Device-to-device (not stored server) In-flight only
Operational / Access Logs Timestamps, route path segments, generic event names Hosting / logging layer (volatile) Short rotation (stability & security only)

Note: This Privacy Policy is incorporated by reference into our Terms of Service. Please review both documents together.

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