PRIVACY POLICY

1. Who we are

Bit Universe is made by Kevin Savill, an independent developer ("we", "us"). If you have a question about this policy or your data, email support@bit-universe.net.

2. What stays on your device

The following gameplay data is stored locally and is not automatically uploaded to a Bit Universe server:

• Up to three save slots: your worlds, colonies, cash, achievements and boosts.
• Settings such as volume, number notation and the last slot you played. On Quest, your workspace window positions, city views and optional room-anchor identifier are also stored locally.
• A local error log and the stability counts shown in the Menu. They only leave your device if you choose to email them to us.
• On mobile, a note that you own Double Income, so it works offline.

Deleting a slot from the title screen removes that slot. On mobile, deleting the app (rather than offloading it) removes its local app data; device backups may retain copies. On PC, uninstalling can leave saves and settings behind. Purchase records held by your store are separate from local game data.

3. Backups and cloud saves

Your device's own backup (iCloud Backup on iOS, Auto Backup on Android) may include your save files. Apple and Google handle those backups under their own privacy policies. The Windows Steam desktop and PC VR editions share up to three local save slots and are configured to synchronize those slot files through Steam Auto-Cloud at launch and exit. Steam handles that service through your Steam account; VR room layouts and the local session-lock file are not included. There is no independent Bit Universe cloud server or automatic PC/mobile/Quest cross-save service. Other platform cloud-save features depend on the edition and its available platform setup.

4. Ads on mobile (Google AdMob)

Google AdMob supplies optional rewarded ads for an income boost. There are no banner ads or forced interstitials, and no ad is required to keep playing.

Version scope. The iOS 1.1.15 launch candidate and future mobile updates using this flow request limited ads only after a voluntary ad action. Earlier iOS builds may check Google's privacy choices at startup, display a regional consent form and preload ads. Earlier Android builds may do that after an adult enables online features. Those older installed versions do not change automatically when this policy is updated.

• When advertising connects. In the new flow, the game does not initialize the ad SDK, load an ad or show an advertising consent dialog when you open the game. Tapping Watch an ad starts a request for the disclosed income boost. A short Google data-use notice and this policy link appear beside the offer. You can cancel a pending request or continue playing without the boost if an ad is unavailable. Closing the offer cancels pending presentation; completing an ad does not preload the next one. Android's adult-age and online-feature choices remain an additional requirement.
• Limited ads. The new flow enforces Google's limited-ad setting worldwide, disables personalization and the publisher first-party ID, and skips the request if the restriction cannot be applied. Limited ads disable personalization and features requiring a local identifier. The game does not offer to enable personalized advertising, request App Tracking Transparency authorization or obtain the IDFA.
• Data handled by Google. Limited ads still process information such as IP addresses, approximate location, device or app information, ad interactions, and crash or performance diagnostics for delivery, reporting, security and reliability. When programmatic limited demand is used, Google may use cookies or local storage solely to detect invalid traffic and prevent fraud. Limited ads do not mean no data collection.
• Older versions and choices. Older builds disable personalization and publisher first-party ID but may still use identifiers or storage for delivery, frequency limits, measurement and fraud prevention. Those builds request ads only when Google's consent service permits them; Menu › Ad privacy choices is available when Google requires it. The new limited-ad flow has no regional consent form or personalization switch. Device advertising/privacy controls remain available separately.

See Google's privacy policy, how Google uses information from partner apps and Google's limited-ad explanation.

5. Purchases on mobile

On Android from version 1.1.1, the purchasing SDK is not initialized unless the player selects an adult age range and enables optional online features. Previously cached ownership can still apply locally without a store connection. The full game is playable without purchases.

Apple's App Store or Google Play processes payment for Double Income. We do not receive your full payment-card details. Through Unity In-App Purchasing, the game processes product, price, transaction/receipt and entitlement information to unlock the purchase, restore it and handle refunds or revocations. It stores a local ownership flag so the benefit works offline.

Unity provides the purchasing SDK. Its services process purchase-event data, including installation/session identifiers, device information, country and transaction-related information, to support purchasing and purchase analytics under Unity's privacy policy. This game does not ask you to create a Unity account, supply an email for purchasing, or use an external checkout. See also Apple's privacy policy and Google's privacy policy for store account and payment data.

6. PC, Steam, Macs and Meta Quest

If you run the iPhone/iPad edition on a compatible Apple silicon Mac, the mobile advertising and purchase practices in sections 4–5 still apply.

The native PC/Steam edition does not initialize the mobile ad or purchase services and has no separate gameplay analytics service. When distributed through Steam, the store may process account, purchase, usage and diagnostic information under Valve's privacy policy. Platform services are separate from the game's local saves.

Meta Quest

For the standalone Quest edition and private beta, read the dedicated Quest privacy policy.

Bit Universe on Quest is a single paid download with no ads, in-app purchases, social features or developer analytics. Meta handles the purchase. The Meta Platform SDK verifies that your headset account owns the app and sends achievement unlocks to Meta for your platform profile. We do not request your Meta email address or maintain a separate Bit Universe account or server.

Your saves and workspace layouts are local. Meta's Cloud Backup may include app data when enabled on your headset. Meta handles its account, store, achievement and backup data under Meta's privacy policy. Use your Meta account and headset settings to manage that data.

Passthrough is displayed by the headset's system compositor. Bit Universe does not record camera images or transmit room images to us. If you choose to anchor the workspace, the headset's spatial-anchor service stores and restores the anchor, and the game keeps its identifier locally. We do not share room anchors with other players or operate a cloud-anchor service.

7. This website

This website does not track visitors across other companies’ apps or websites, set cookies or display a cookie-consent prompt. Automatic Cloudflare Web Analytics is disabled for the domain. Our site serves its own navigation script, fonts and images, without advertising scripts. App-linked pages have protections against automatic script injection. Cloudflare provides hosting and delivery and processes IP addresses, request details and network diagnostics to deliver and secure the site, under Cloudflare's privacy policy.

8. Children

The Android edition from version 1.1.1 is intended for a mixed audience, including older children. It uses a neutral age-range screen without a preselected answer and does not request a birth date. The age range and online-feature choice stay on the device and are not sent to Bit Universe or the ad and purchasing providers.

Players under 18, players who decline to give an age range, and players who have not yet answered can play without ads or purchase offers. The game does not initialize Google consent/advertising or Unity purchasing services for those players. Adults can also choose to keep those optional online features off. These Android safeguards are separate from the iOS startup practices described in sections 4 and 5; the iOS edition has no age screen. The iOS 1.1.15 candidate instead uses the player-requested limited-ad flow described in section 4.

The Meta Quest edition is intended for teens and adults aged 13 and over (or the applicable minimum age in their region). It uses Meta account ownership and achievement services described in section 6, with no mobile advertising or in-app purchase SDKs.

If you believe a child has sent personal information to support, contact us so we can review and delete it as appropriate. A store content rating alone does not determine an app's data practices.

9. Retention, deletion and your choices

Support messages. If you email us, we and our email service provider process your address, message and any attachments to respond and investigate. Send only what is needed; do not send passwords, payment-card details or tax identifiers. We retain correspondence while needed to handle your request, related follow-up, security or legal obligations, and then delete it when no longer needed. You can request deletion using the contact below.

Local data and providers. Saves and settings remain on your device until removed. Manage device backups separately through Apple, Google or Meta. Deleting the game does not delete store purchase records, support emails or data held by Google, Unity, Meta or Cloudflare. Those providers retain information under their own policies and applicable obligations, and may process it in countries other than yours.

• Change ad choices: in older builds, use Menu › Ad privacy choices when Google makes that option available. In the new limited-ad flow, skip the offer or cancel its pending request. Device advertising/privacy controls provide additional choices.
• Remove local progress: delete slots from the title screen; for other local data, see section 2. There is no Bit Universe account to delete.
• Ask about your data: email support@bit-universe.net for access, correction or deletion of information you sent us. Depending on your location, you may also have rights to restrict or object to processing, withdraw consent, opt out of certain advertising uses, or complain to a privacy authority. We will respond as applicable law requires.
• Provider requests: use the privacy controls and request channels linked in this policy for information held by your store, Google, Unity or Meta. We can help identify the relevant provider, but cannot directly erase their records.

10. Changes

We will update the effective date when this policy changes. Material changes will also be described in the game's update notes or another appropriate notice.