Gridlock Escape Privacy Policy

1. Who this policy covers

This Privacy Policy explains how Nocturnal Devs ("Nocturnal Devs," "we," "us," or "our") handles information when you use the Gridlock Escape mobile application on iOS or Android (the "App"). It applies only to Gridlock Escape and not to unrelated projects or third-party websites. Gridlock Escape has no real-money purchases or subscriptions; its shop uses virtual coins earned in the game.

2. Age screen and protections for younger players

On first launch, the App asks you to select under 13, 13–15, or 16 or older. It does not ask for an exact birth date. The selection is stored locally so the App can apply the appropriate Analytics settings and, on releases where advertising is enabled, age-appropriate advertising settings. The selection is not logged as a Firebase Analytics event.

• Under 13: access is blocked before Firebase Analytics or, on an ad-enabled release, Google Mobile Ads initializes.
• Ages 13–15: the game is available and Firebase Analytics is disabled. On an ad-enabled release, Google receives child-directed and under-age-of-consent treatment signals and ad creatives are capped at a G rating.
• Ages 16 and older: Firebase Analytics is enabled automatically. On an ad-enabled release, Google User Messaging Platform manages legally required advertising consent notices and privacy choices.

You can return to the age screen from Settings > Privacy & data > Age range.

3. Information stored on your device

The App stores your selected age band, completed and unlocked levels, current puzzle state, move counts, best scores, virtual coins, hints, unlocked and equipped cosmetic items, achievements, escape streaks, daily-puzzle status, tutorial status, language, sound, music, haptics, reduced-motion, vehicle-pattern, high-contrast, and text-size settings in app-local storage or preferences.

We use this information to operate the game, restore progress, apply accessibility choices, award in-game items, and provide the daily puzzle. The complete save file is not uploaded to a Nocturnal Devs server.

4. Firebase Analytics for players ages 16 and older

For players who select 16 or older, the App uses Google Analytics for Firebase to understand game use and improve reliability, balance, accessibility, and level design. Analytics is enabled automatically for this age range; the App does not provide a separate Analytics switch. Analytics remains disabled for ages 13–15.

Analytics information may include a randomly generated app-instance identifier; app opens, sessions and screen views; app version, device model and operating-system information; coarse location derived by Google from a masked IP address; gameplay interactions such as level starts and completions, move counts, hints, rewards, daily-puzzle results, streaks, achievements, virtual-coin shop selections and settings changes; and limited SDK diagnostic metadata used for Analytics.

The App does not set a Firebase user ID and does not send a name, email address, phone number, exact location, free-form text, or complete save file to Firebase Analytics. The Android App removes access to the Android Advertising ID. The iOS App uses Firebase Analytics Core without its advertising-identity support component. Analytics consent for ad storage, ad user data, and ad personalization is denied in the App.

5. Advertising status and consent management

iOS 1.0.1 and later and Android releases may use Google AdMob for a banner at the bottom of the game, optional rewarded ads for hints or bonus virtual coins, and interstitials after every second eligible campaign clear. Campaign levels 1–4 never advance the interstitial cadence, so the first interstitial can occur only after a later clear.

Every ad request is explicitly non-personalized. On iOS, the Google Mobile Ads publisher first-party identifier is disabled before the SDK initializes; the App does not request Apple's App Tracking Transparency authorization or intentionally use data for cross-app tracking. On Android, the App removes access to the Android Advertising ID. Google Mobile Ads may process an IP address and coarse location inferred from it, advertisements viewed, app and ad interactions, crash logs, diagnostics, performance information, and device or app identifiers to deliver and measure ads, provide Analytics, cap frequency, secure the service, and prevent fraud.

Ages 13–15 receive Google's child-directed treatment and an under-age-of-consent signal, with creatives limited to a G rating. Google User Messaging Platform checks whether a consent message or privacy-options entry point is legally required. When a privacy-options entry point is required, it is available under Settings > Privacy & data > Ad privacy choices.

Production and test builds

Ad-enabled production releases use Nocturnal Devs' AdMob application and ad-unit identifiers so eligible impressions can serve real ads. Debug builds use Google's sample ad-unit identifiers to prevent accidental invalid production traffic. Any new mediation partner or materially different ad behavior requires a new privacy review.

6. How information is used and shared

We use local game information to operate the App and Analytics information to measure feature use, understand difficulty, diagnose reliability issues, and improve the game. We do not sell or rent personal information.

Google LLC and its subprocessors process Firebase Analytics information for players ages 16 and older and, only on releases where advertising is enabled, advertising and consent information. We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, legal process, enforceable requests, prevent fraud or abuse, protect rights and safety, or complete a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or asset sale. The App does not integrate a separate ad-mediation SDK, social login, payment SDK, or cloud-save provider.

Learn more from Google's Privacy Policy, partner-sites information, and Firebase privacy and security information.

7. Retention and deletion

The age band, progress and settings remain on the device until changed, reset, cleared, or the App is deleted. Reset progress removes levels, coins, records, achievements, unlocked items, and current puzzle data while retaining language, audio, haptic, accessibility, text-size, and age settings. To remove all local information, clear the App's storage/data on Android or use Delete App on iOS.

Google retains Analytics information and, on ad-enabled releases, advertising information according to its product settings, retention controls, and policies. Changing the age range to 13–15 disables future Firebase Analytics collection and resets device-side Analytics data, but may not erase information already processed in aggregate or pseudonymous records.

Because there is no account or Firebase user ID, we may be unable to identify a particular person in pseudonymous provider records. You may contact us about applicable access, correction, objection, or deletion rights; we will respond as required by law and explain if information cannot reasonably be verified or located.

8. Security and international processing

Local progress is stored in the operating system's app sandbox. Google states that Firebase Analytics information and, where advertising is enabled, Mobile Ads information are encrypted in transit. No storage or transmission method is completely secure.

Nocturnal Devs is based in Canada. Google and its service infrastructure may process information outside your country, including in Canada, the United States, and other countries where they operate. Such processing is governed by Google's terms, privacy policy, and applicable transfer safeguards.

9. Children and teens

Gridlock Escape is intended for players 13 and older. Players who select under 13 are blocked before Analytics or, on an ad-enabled release, advertising starts. For ages 13–15, Firebase Analytics is disabled and child-protective ad settings are applied wherever advertising is enabled.

The game has no account creation, chat, public profiles, user-generated content, precise-location request, contact access, camera, microphone, or real-money purchases. A parent or guardian who believes a child under 13 sent personal information in a support message can contact us for review and deletion where appropriate.

10. Your choices and privacy rights

You can change the stored age range under Settings > Privacy & data > Age range, manage Google advertising privacy choices under Ad privacy choices when that control is available on an ad-enabled release, reset gameplay progress, clear all app-local data using platform controls, or contact us about rights available in your jurisdiction.

Gridlock Escape does not provide an Analytics opt-out for users who select 16 or older. Clearing or deleting the App stops future collection from that installation but does not necessarily delete information already processed by Google. Depending on where you live, you may have rights to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information, to object or withdraw consent where applicable, or to complain to a regulator. We will not discriminate against you for exercising an applicable right.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the App, our service providers, or legal requirements change. We will post the revised policy at this URL and update the date above. If a change materially affects your choices, we will provide an additional notice in the App where appropriate.

12. Contact Nocturnal Devs

Questions, privacy requests, and complaints can be directed to: