Privacy Policy
Fatal Formation for iPhone
The short version
Fatal Formation has no accounts and no logins. Your game progress never leaves your phone. The only company that receives data about you is Google, which serves the ads that keep the game free — and you can turn personalised advertising off. Buying Remove Ads stops the banner and between-level ads entirely.
Who this is from
Fatal Formation is made and published by Xiayu Xu, an independent developer. In this policy, "the app" means Fatal Formation for iOS, and "I" or "me" means Xiayu Xu. You can reach me at xuxiayu2010@gmail.com.
What stays on your device
The app saves your progress locally using the standard iOS storage on your phone. That includes:
- Which campaign levels you've cleared and the stars you earned
- Your coin balance and upgrade levels
- Your best Endless time and score
- Whether you've purchased Remove Ads
- Your sound and haptics settings
None of this is transmitted anywhere. I do not operate a server, I have no database of players, and I never see this information. It is not backed up to iCloud by the app, which is why progress does not follow you to a new phone. Deleting the app deletes all of it permanently.
What advertising collects
The app shows ads through Google AdMob. When an ad is requested, Google's software on your device may collect and process the following. I receive none of it in a form that identifies you — only aggregate counts of impressions and revenue.
| Data | What it is | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising identifier | The resettable ID Apple assigns to your device (IDFA), and/or a vendor identifier | Choosing which ad to show, limiting repeats, measuring whether an ad worked |
| IP address | Your network address, which indicates approximate location such as city or region | Serving ads relevant to your country, fraud prevention |
| Device information | Model, operating system version, language, screen size | Formatting the ad correctly and reporting |
| Ad interaction | Whether an ad was shown, viewed, or tapped | Measurement and billing |
| Diagnostics | Crash and performance data from the advertising software | Keeping the ad software working |
Google's handling of this data is governed by its own policies: Google Privacy Policy and How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services. Google may share data with advertising partners; its current partner list is published at business.safety.google/adspartners.
Tracking, and how to say no
After you finish your first run, iOS asks whether the app may track you across other companies' apps and websites. This is Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt.
- If you allow it, ads may be personalised using your advertising identifier.
- If you decline, the app does not access your advertising identifier and you receive non-personalised ads instead. The game plays exactly the same.
You can change your answer at any time in Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking on your device, and you can reset your advertising identifier there too.
If you're in the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland
Before any ad loads, the app shows a consent form provided by Google's User Messaging Platform, as required by the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive. Your choices there control whether personalised advertising is permitted. You can reopen that form at any time from Settings → Privacy Options inside the game and change your mind.
Where consent is the legal basis, it is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Where the app relies on legitimate interests — for example detecting invalid ad traffic — that basis is Article 6(1)(f). You have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to processing of your personal data, and to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. Because I hold no player data myself, requests about advertising data are best directed to Google using the links above; email me and I will help you route it.
Purchases
Remove Ads is a one-time purchase handled entirely by Apple through the App Store. Apple processes your payment; I never see your card details, billing address, or Apple Account. The app only records a yes/no flag on your device saying the purchase was made. Refunds are handled by Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.
Children
Fatal Formation is rated 9+ and is not directed to children under 13. It is not in the App Store Kids Category, and it is not designed for or marketed to young children. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided information through the app, email me and I will act on it.
Data retention
I retain no personal data, so there is nothing on my side to delete. Data on your device is kept until you delete the app. Advertising data is retained by Google under its own retention schedules, described in its privacy policy.
Your rights in the United States
Depending on your state, you may have the right to know what personal information is collected, to request deletion, and to opt out of "sale" or "sharing" of personal information for targeted advertising. Declining the tracking prompt described above, or enabling Limit Ad Tracking on your device, is how you exercise the opt-out for this app. I do not sell personal information for money.
Security
The app makes no network connections of its own other than the advertising requests described above, which use encrypted connections. Since no personal data is collected or stored by me, there is no account to be breached.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted on this page with a new "last updated" date. Material changes affecting how data is handled will also be noted in the app's release notes.
Contact
Questions about this policy, or about privacy in the app:
xuxiayu2010@gmail.com