1. Who we are
Pocket Armada is an Android game operated by António Castela, using the studio name Tiny Pocket Shenanigans, based in Portugal ("we", "us", or "our"). We are the controller responsible for personal information whose processing we determine, as described in this policy.
Privacy contact: [email protected]
This policy covers Pocket Armada, including com.tinypocketshenanigans.pocketarmada, and support or privacy requests about the game. We handle information we control and help direct requests concerning the Google services described below.
2. A quick summary
- You can play without creating an account or providing your name or email address.
- Your progress, boat designs, settings, bits and purchase-recovery records are stored on your device. Optional Google Play Games cloud saves send eligible progress to Google for your connected account. We do not operate a server that receives your full saved game.
- Rewarded ads are optional to watch. Google's advertising and privacy services can receive technical information during startup checks and ad preparation even if you do not watch an ad.
- Optional bits packs and permanent cosmetics use Google Play Billing. Google handles payments; the game verifies purchase records to grant bits, unlock owned cosmetics and recover eligible purchases.
- Google Play Games provides achievements, leaderboards and optional cloud saves. You can play without connecting to these features. Local Wi-Fi co-op and versus exchange room and gameplay information directly between two devices.
- The declared Google Play target audience is ages 13 and over. We apply child advertising restrictions and under-age privacy settings to every player.
- You can email us to request access to or deletion of information, as explained in sections 9 and 10. We cannot remotely access a device-only save.
3. Information stored on your device
Pocket Armada stores your bits balance, unlocked parts and ranks, boat designs and colours, campaign progress and stars, tutorial progress, reward records and settings such as sound, screen shake and reduced motion. These records keep your progress and settings and help grant rewards correctly.
The save can also contain purchase product identifiers, reward and purchase receipt identifiers, verified permanent-cosmetic ownership, purchase tokens awaiting consumption, acknowledgement or recovery cleanup, and records that help prevent duplicate grants. Pending purchase records are removed from the current save when the relevant recovery flow has been successfully recorded. If cleanup cannot be saved, records can remain for a later recovery attempt; earlier local backup or corruption-recovery copies may retain previous records until replaced or removed.
The game can retain a previous save and copies of an unreadable save for recovery. Local game and purchase records remain until replaced or the app's data is cleared. We do not operate a cloud bits wallet that combines balances between devices.
User-exported backups and opt-in Google Play Games cloud saves contain eligible progress, boat designs, settings, bits and purchase/reward receipt identifiers used to prevent duplicate grants. Pending purchase tokens and permanent-cosmetic entitlement records are removed from these payloads. Importing a backup does not establish ownership of paid cosmetics; Google Play verifies ownership separately. Exported files remain in the storage location you choose until you remove them.
The Android app disables its standard app-backup setting. Separate device-transfer, backup or operating-system services may handle app data under their own controls. We cannot promise how every device handles those services.
Pocket Armada does not ask to access your contacts, photos, microphone or precise location to provide gameplay. Technical location information derived by Google's services from an IP address is described below.
4. Google advertising, privacy and purchase services
Rewarded advertising
The Android game uses Google AdMob and Google's User Messaging Platform (UMP). You can decline rewarded-ad offers and continue playing. Watching an eligible ad can grant an in-game reward.
Google's SDKs can receive the device's IP address, which can indicate approximate location; interactions such as app launches, ad requests, taps and video views; performance diagnostics such as launch time, hangs and energy use; and applicable device, app or service identifiers. Google uses this information for advertising delivery and reporting, analytics, reliability, security and fraud prevention. These technical records are not necessarily anonymous.
The game requests child age treatment and a general-audience ad-content restriction for every player. Google states that this treatment disables personalised advertising and remarketing, restricts third-party ad requests and prevents transmission of the Android advertising identifier. It does not eliminate all identifiers or technical processing. Test versions may use Google's demo ads with the same privacy restrictions.
Where an app set ID is processed, its permitted use is limited to appropriate non-advertising purposes such as analytics and fraud prevention. We do not permit its use for ad personalisation or ad measurement, or association with personal information for advertising. Your saved boat designs and full gameplay save are not sent to Google as advertising-profile data.
Startup privacy checks and privacy choices
The privacy and purchase services start with the app. Google's advertising service is prepared when UMP reports that ads may be requested, including preloading rewarded ads. Declining to watch an ad does not stop those startup checks or all technical processing.
UMP is configured to treat every player as below the age of consent. Under this setting Google normally does not request advertising consent. The app checks whether Google requires a form and shows a Privacy choices control in Settings and the bits panel when Google reports that this entry point is required. Its availability depends on Google's privacy status; it is not a switch that turns off every SDK connection.
The game does not verify age or parental consent. Google's eligibility state, playing the game and choosing a rewarded ad are not treated as consent to processing that legally requires it. Child advertising settings do not replace a requirement to obtain consent, including parental consent where applicable.
For Google's practices, see its Privacy Policy, information about apps using Google services, Mobile Ads data disclosures and age-treatment information.
Optional purchases
You can buy consumable bits packs and permanent, non-consumable cosmetics through Google Play Billing. Google processes payment and associated Google-account and payment-method information under its own terms. The game does not receive your payment-card number or Google password.
The game receives purchase information including product, purchase state, quantity, purchase token and signature. It verifies purchase records locally, saves the eligible reward or ownership, then asks Google Play to consume bits packs or acknowledge permanent cosmetics. Recovery and ownership records help prevent duplicate delivery. Permanent cosmetics are not consumed.
Check purchases, startup and app-resume queries can recover eligible outstanding purchases and verify permanent-cosmetic ownership for the Google Play account used by the app. Already consumed bits cannot be restored from Google's current ownership list. A usable backup or cloud save is needed to recover the progress it contains after clearing app data, uninstalling or changing devices.
Google Play Games and optional cloud saves
The game checks whether Google Play Games is available and authenticated and offers a Connect action. When connected, it receives your Play Games player identifier and display name. Achievement progress and leaderboard scores are sent to Google; leaderboard entries may be visible through Google's leaderboard interface. Google's Play Games SDK also handles service analytics and diagnostics. Gameplay remains available without signing in.
Cloud saves are an optional feature you enable for the connected player. They send eligible progress, boat designs, settings, bits and duplicate-prevention receipt records to Google's Saved Games service, together with a game-generated cover image, description and played-time metadata. The cover depicts game content; the app does not request photo-library access. When local and cloud progress differ, the game lets you review which save to keep; balances are not added together. Google states that Play Games service data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS.
Choosing Keep offline stops this game's cloud synchronization. It does not delete an existing Google cloud save. Manage or delete Pocket Armada's Play Games data using Google's Play Games data controls. Those controls explain which achievements, progress and other records may be deleted.
Local Wi-Fi play
When you host or join a local Wi-Fi co-op or versus match, the devices use local network addresses and exchange discovery announcements, room identifiers, a room PIN, reconnect identifiers, selected loaner loadouts, controls and match state. These features do not use a studio-operated matchmaking or gameplay server.
The current ENet/UDP transport does not add encryption to this exchange. Use a network you trust; the room PIN controls joining but does not encrypt traffic.
5. Why we use information and our legal grounds
Where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to processing for which we are responsible, we use information for the following purposes and legal grounds.
Game functionality, rewards and purchase recovery: To the extent game records constitute personal information for which we are responsible, we rely on our legitimate interests in providing the game, settings and rewards you request and keeping grants accurate. Optional purchase records enable the requested transaction and help prevent duplicate or fraudulent grants. Optional Play Games, cloud-save and local Wi-Fi features use the records described in section 4 to provide the features you choose.
Support, troubleshooting, security and fraud prevention: We rely on legitimate interests in answering requests, maintaining the game and protecting its services, limited to necessary and proportionate processing.
Restricted advertising and basic reporting: For limited processing that can lawfully occur without consent, we rely on legitimate interests in funding the game through restricted contextual ads and understanding their delivery. This does not authorise non-essential access to device storage or processing for which consent is required.
Consent: Where consent is legally required, it must be validly obtained and can be withdrawn. The current under-age configuration does not itself collect or verify parental consent. This policy does not create consent for past collection.
Privacy requests and required compliance records: We rely on legal obligations when processing is necessary to handle statutory privacy rights or comply with a binding legal duty.
These grounds include GDPR Article 6(1)(f) for the legitimate interests described and Article 6(1)(c) for legal obligations; Article 6(1)(a) applies where valid consent is required and obtained. Legitimate interests do not override your rights, particularly children's rights, or requirements for consent. Google may determine purposes for processing under its own policies and terms; we remain responsible for processing we control.
6. Children and families
Pocket Armada's declared Google Play target audience is ages 13 and over, including teenagers and adults. Some teenagers are children under the laws where they live. We apply child advertising restrictions and under-age privacy settings to every player.
The game has no player chat or shared player photos, videos or messages. We do not ask children for their real name, birth date, contact details, photographs or precise location to play. We do not use children's saved game records for behavioural advertising or contact children for marketing.
Parents and guardians can use the privacy contact to ask what information we hold, request access or deletion and raise objections concerning a child's information. We may request limited information to verify their authority, handle information we control and assist with requests concerning Google's services. We cannot remotely access a save stored only on a device.
Children should ask a parent or guardian to contact us. If we identify a one-time support request as coming directly from a child, we use its contact information only to answer that request and promptly delete the child's correspondence and contact information after responding, unless a separate legal requirement applies. Further support should be handled through a parent or guardian.
7. When you contact us
If you email us, we receive your email address, message and any information or attachments you choose to send. We use these to respond, investigate reported problems and handle privacy requests. Providing them is voluntary, but we may need limited information to understand or verify a request.
Our mailbox is hosted by Google Gmail, which processes correspondence to provide the email service. We do not use support correspondence for advertising or mailing lists. Please avoid passwords, full purchase tokens and unnecessary personal information; check screenshots and logs before sending them.
8. Sharing and international processing
Google receives the advertising, privacy-service, purchase and Play Games information described in section 4, including optional cloud saves. Google handles payments through Play and correspondence through our email service. Local Wi-Fi room and gameplay information is sent directly to the other participating device. Google's policies explain its use of affiliated companies and service providers. We do not sell your saved game or support correspondence to data brokers.
We may disclose information we hold when a binding legal obligation requires it, limited to the information necessary.
Google may process information outside your country, including outside the European Economic Area. Its data-transfer information explains the safeguards it uses where applicable, including adequacy decisions and standard contractual clauses. Contact us for information about safeguards relevant to processing for which we are responsible.
9. Retention, deletion and security
Device-only game data
Local saves, purchase-recovery records and recovery copies remain until replaced or removed. To remove the current installation's app data, use Android settings, typically Apps → Pocket Armada → Storage → Clear data or Clear storage. Device wording varies.
This removes current local progress, boat designs, bits, settings, purchase records and SDK preferences within the app's storage. It does not erase information already received by Google, reset device-wide identifiers or delete separate backup or transfer copies. Starting the app again creates new records and can start the services described in this policy.
We cannot remotely erase or restore a device-only save. Clearing local storage can permanently lose already consumed bits. Use the relevant device or backup-provider controls for copies managed by those services.
Exported backups and Google Play Games data
Deleting local app data does not delete separately exported backup files or Google Play Games data. Remove exported files from their chosen storage location. Use Google's Play Games data controls for cloud saves, achievements and related game data, and review Google's explanation of the records those controls delete. Keeping the game offline stops synchronization but does not erase Google's stored data.
Support and privacy-request correspondence
We permanently delete ordinary support correspondence and attachments from the mailbox and working copies we control within 90 days after resolving the request, and sooner when no longer needed, including relevant copies in Trash. The shorter rule for one-time requests from children in section 6 takes priority.
If a specific legal duty requires retention, we keep only the information necessary for that duty and delete it when the required retention ends. Our email provider may take additional time to remove residual backup copies.
Google's records
Google determines retention for advertising, privacy and payment records under its policies and service terms. Our support retention period is not a promise about Google's records. See Google's retention information. Clearing the app's storage or closing it does not delete information already sent to Google.
You can request help using the privacy contact below. We act on information we control and help identify Google's applicable request or account controls. Some Google records may not be accessible or identifiable to us. We cannot promise immediate deletion of every provider record, legal-compliance record, aggregate report or backup.
Security
Local records use Android's app-storage protections. Google states that Mobile Ads and Play Games SDK data is encrypted in transit. The local Wi-Fi exchange described in section 4 does not add transport encryption. We limit access to support correspondence to administering the service, handling requests and investigating faults. No storage or transmission method is completely secure.
10. Your privacy rights and choices
Request access or deletion: Email [email protected] with the subject Pocket Armada privacy request and explain which information you want accessed or deleted. No in-game account is required. Include the app version and approximate dates if helpful, but do not send passwords, full purchase tokens or unnecessary personal details.
We can delete support correspondence and other personal information we control, subject to applicable legal obligations. We cannot remotely access or delete local-only saves; use the Android steps in section 9. For information already received by Google, we will explain what we can act on and help identify the appropriate Google process. If we cannot reasonably identify your records, we will explain that limitation.
Depending on your location and applicable conditions, you may have rights to access, correct, delete or obtain a portable copy of information, restrict processing, object to legitimate-interest processing or withdraw consent. Withdrawal does not affect earlier lawful processing.
Cloud and local-network choices: Play offline without enabling cloud saves or hosting/joining local Wi-Fi. Keep offline stops cloud synchronization; use the Google controls in section 9 to delete stored Play Games data.
Advertising choices: You can decline rewarded ads and continue playing. Where Google requires it, use the game's Privacy choices control to review available privacy settings. These choices do not guarantee that every startup service connection stops. Email the privacy contact to raise an objection or withdraw any consent you separately gave us.
We respond to GDPR requests without undue delay and normally within one month. A permitted extension of up to two further months may be needed for complex or numerous requests; we explain it within the first month. Requests are ordinarily free, subject to exceptions allowed by law.
You may complain to your local data-protection authority without first contacting us. In Portugal, this is the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD).
We do not use your personal information for automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you.
11. Changes to this policy
We update this policy when the game's information-handling practices change and revise its effective date. Where required, we provide additional notice and obtain necessary consent before introducing a new use of personal information.
For questions or privacy requests, contact [email protected].