Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

The Game Project is operated by Richard James Nichols, as The Game Project in Victoria, Australia. This policy explains how we handle personal information when you use our websites, applications and related services.

2. Information we collect

We collect information you provide directly, including your name, email address, collection information, gameplay activity, lists, support messages, and files or images you upload. We also receive account identifiers and basic profile information from our authentication provider. If you choose to link Steam, we collect information from Valve about your Steam account and activity.

When you use the service, we and our technology providers may automatically collect technical and usage information such as device and browser information, IP address, approximate location, referring pages, pages and features used, interactions, timestamps, diagnostic information and security events.

3. How we use information

We use this information to provide, maintain and improve the service, authenticate accounts, store and display your library, process imports, respond to support requests and content reports, maintain security, prevent misuse, diagnose problems and understand product usage.

If you make a separate marketing choice, we also use your email address and the minimum relevant account activity to send the newsletters, product updates, research invitations, or personalised onboarding guidance you selected. These choices are optional and can be withdrawn at any time.

4. Storage, overseas processing and security

Our primary application data is stored in the European Union using infrastructure in Frankfurt, Germany and Helsinki, Finland. We also use specialist providers for authentication, hosting, storage, email delivery, analytics, security and product operations. Depending on the provider and service, limited personal information may be processed in other countries where those providers or their subprocessors operate.

We take reasonable steps when selecting and managing providers and use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards to protect personal information. No internet service can guarantee absolute security, and you are responsible for keeping your account credentials secure.

5. Service providers and other disclosures

We engage providers to process information on our behalf for the functions described in this policy, subject to appropriate contractual, privacy and security arrangements. Game metadata may originate from third-party sources and is separate from your private collection information.

When you link Steam, we communicate with Valve's Steam services to verify the link and retrieve the Steam information described above. Valve handles information under its own Privacy Policy.

We may also disclose information where required or authorised by law, or where reasonably necessary to investigate misuse, respond to a content report, maintain security or protect a person's rights or safety.

6. Analytics, cookies and personalisation

We may use cookies, local storage and similar technologies to operate and secure the service, remember preferences and improve your experience.

We use Google Analytics and PostHog across our public website and application to understand traffic, acquisition, product usage and how we can improve the service. Depending on your location, analytics may be enabled by default or we may ask you to opt in before analytics is used.

Your analytics choice applies across our public website and application in the same browser. You can opt out, withdraw consent or change your choice at any time through Cookie settings. Opting out stops future analytics collection in that browser. Technologies required for authentication, security and core functionality are not affected. We do not sell personal information.

7. Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the service and for legitimate operational, security, backup, fraud-prevention, dispute-resolution and legal purposes. Retention periods vary according to the type of information and why we hold it. When information is no longer reasonably required, we take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it.

Deleting Steam data removes it from your active account. Limited information may remain temporarily in routine backups, security records or technical logs until those records are rotated or no longer reasonably required. We do not use those residual copies to restore the Steam integration.

8. Your choices and rights

You can manage marketing choices in your account or use the unsubscribe facility in any marketing email without signing in. Unsubscribing from marketing does not stop essential account or security messages. You may also request access to, correction of or deletion of your personal information, subject to applicable law and legitimate retention requirements. Contact us to make a request.

9. Privacy concerns and questions

If you have a question or concern about how we handle your personal information, email privacy@thegameproject.net with details of the issue. We will acknowledge your message, review the matter and respond within a reasonable time. We may ask for information needed to verify your identity or understand the issue.

10. Changes

We may update this policy as the service changes. The date above identifies the latest revision; material changes will be communicated where appropriate.

11. Contact

Privacy questions, requests and concerns can be sent to privacy@thegameproject.net.