Privacy Policy

Last updated:

This Privacy Policy explains what information Hexlands ("we", "us") collects when you use the Hexlands mobile application and the hexlandsgame.com website (together, the "Service"), and how we use and protect it. By using the Service you agree to the practices described here.

1. Who we are

Hexlands is an independently developed game. You can reach us through our Support page for any privacy-related questions or requests.

2. Information we collect

Information you provide to us

• Contact / bug-report form: when you submit the form on our Support page, we receive the email address and description you enter.
• Nickname: a display name you choose in-app, which is shared with other players in the same game room.
• User-submitted content: anything you voluntarily send us (e.g. additional detail in a bug report).

Information collected automatically

• Contact form request metadata: when you submit the contact form, the request's IP address and user-agent are stored alongside the report to help us diagnose abuse and reproduce technical issues.
• Gameplay state: to allow you to reconnect to in-progress matches, we store game state on our servers, including room codes, tile placements, meeples, scores, and which nicknames are participating. This is not linked to your Apple ID or real-world identity.

Information from Apple

• Subscriptions: purchases and renewals of the Hexlands Creator subscription are handled entirely by Apple. The app receives a signed receipt from StoreKit to verify your entitlement. We do not receive your Apple ID, name, email, billing address, or payment information.

Microphone and speech recognition

If you use voice chat, your speech is transcribed on your device using Apple's Speech Recognition. The resulting text is sent to the other players in your game room and retained as part of the chat log for that match. Raw audio is not transmitted to, or stored on, our servers.

3. What we do NOT collect

• No third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking SDKs.
• No advertising identifiers (IDFA).
• No cross-app or cross-site tracking.
• No precise location data.
• No access to your contacts, photos, calendar, or health data.

4. How we use information

• To operate the Service — matchmaking, game state, saving progress, voice-chat transcription delivery.
• To respond to bug reports and support requests.
• To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, or violations of our Terms.
• To comply with legal obligations.

5. Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only:

• With infrastructure providers (Amazon Web Services) that host the Service on our behalf, subject to their own security controls;
• With other players in your game room, limited to your chosen nickname, in-game actions, and any chat text you send;
• If required by law, legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of users or the public.

6. Retention

• Bug-report submissions (email, description, IP, user-agent) are automatically deleted one year after submission via an S3 lifecycle rule.
• Game state is retained while a match is active or recently completed so you can reconnect, and is periodically pruned.
• Chat logs exist only for the duration of the match in which they were sent.

7. Your rights

You can request deletion of a bug report you submitted by contacting us via the Support page using the same email address you submitted the report with. To stop sharing any nickname or gameplay activity with other players, leave the game session. To stop your Hexlands Creator subscription, manage it in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions on your device; cancellation and refunds for subscription charges are handled by Apple per its policies.

8. Children

The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us via the Support page and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

9. International users

The Service is operated in the United States (AWS region us-east-1). If you use the Service from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.

10. Security

We use standard industry practices — encrypted transport (TLS), private S3 storage, and least-privilege access — to protect the information we hold. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date above. Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

12. Contact

Privacy questions or requests? Reach us via the Support page.