Privacy Policy

Game: Grow with the Dungeon Operator: YSNH Games (a sole proprietorship operated from Japan) Contact: grow.w.t.dungeon@gmail.com Effective Date: 2026-06-14 Last Updated: 2026-06-14

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how YSNH Games (“we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information in connection with the game Grow with the Dungeon (“the Service”) provided to players (“you”, “your”, or “user”).

This document is intended as a transparent disclosure of our data practices. If you do not agree with how we handle personal information as described here, please do not use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information collected via Google OAuth

We use Google Sign-In for authentication. When you sign in, we receive:

• Google Account ID (a unique numeric identifier issued by Google)
• Email address associated with your Google Account

We use the minimum OAuth scopes necessary for authentication. If we additionally request the profile scope to receive your Google display name, it is used only for account-related display and is not made publicly visible unless you separately choose to use it as your in-game character name. You choose a separate character name within the game; we do not derive character names from your Google account without your explicit input.

We do not collect or store your Google password. Authentication is handled entirely by Google.

2.2 Information generated through gameplay

The following data is created and stored on our servers as you play:

• Character data: name, level, stats, inventory, equipment, in-game currency
• Position data: current floor, coordinates
• Action logs: chat messages, bulletin board posts, active marketplace orders (buy/sell, pending claims), boss first-kill records (publicly displayed on in-game ranking), deepest dungeon floor reached with timestamp (publicly displayed on in-game ranking), login/logout times
• Technical data: IP address (recorded in server access and security logs — see Section 4 for retention), client version (logged for debugging and update prompts)

2.3 Information NOT collected

We do not collect:

• Real name (unless you voluntarily use it as a character name — not recommended)
• Phone number
• Physical address
• Payment information (the Service is free; see Section 8 regarding potential future changes)
• Browser cookies (the desktop client does not use cookies)
• Analytics or tracking pixels

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information solely to:

1. Provide the Service: authenticate you, maintain your character state, enable multiplayer interactions
2. Operate the Service: monitor server health, detect bugs, balance gameplay
3. Enforce the Terms of Service: investigate cheating, harassment, and other violations
4. Communicate with you: respond to support inquiries sent to our contact email
5. Comply with legal obligations: respond to subpoenas, court orders, search warrants, and lawful requests from law enforcement, regulatory authorities, or other governmental agencies. We may also voluntarily report content or activity to law enforcement if we reasonably believe it involves serious criminal conduct (e.g., threats of violence, child exploitation, fraud, or imminent risk to life)

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing or advertising purposes.

4. Data Storage and Retention

Legal hold exception: If we receive a lawful preservation request (e.g., from law enforcement, courts, or pursuant to ongoing litigation), specific logs or data identified in the request may be retained beyond the standard retention periods stated above, for as long as legally required. Such data is segregated from active systems and accessed only by authorized personnel for the specific legal purpose.

Data is stored on servers operated by YSNH Games in Japan or other regions where our infrastructure is hosted. We take reasonable technical measures to protect data, but no system is 100% secure.

5. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction and the applicable data protection laws, you may have rights regarding your personal information, such as:

• Right to access: request a copy of the data we hold about you
• Right to correction: request correction of inaccurate information
• Right to object or restrict: object to or restrict certain processing of your data
• Right to data portability: request export of personal data you have provided (see Section 8.2 for detailed scope)
• Right to deletion: request deletion of your personal information

The exact scope, procedure, and timeline of these rights vary by applicable law. We provide the following channels in addition to any legally required mechanisms:

• Account deletion is available to all users at any time through the in-game “Account Settings” panel, or by emailing us — regardless of jurisdiction.
• Other requests (access, correction, portability, etc.) may be submitted by emailing us.

To exercise any of these rights or to make a request, contact us at grow.w.t.dungeon@gmail.com.

We will respond within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days where required by applicable law. Please note that we are a small operation and response times may vary; see Section 11 regarding support limitations.

For EU/UK residents: To the extent the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to our processing of your personal information, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

For California residents: To the extent the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) applies, you have the right to know what personal information is collected, to request deletion, and to opt out of any sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information).

6. Account Deletion

When you delete your account:

• Your Google Account ID and email are permanently removed from our active database
• Your characters, inventory, equipment, and deepest-floor ranking entries are permanently deleted from our active database (deepest-floor ranking entries are removed entirely rather than anonymized, as the entry has no meaning without the character)
• Bulletin board posts: your displayed name in the in-game bulletin board is anonymized to [Deleted] (the post content remains visible until the standard 7-day display retention expires)
• Chat messages: chat messages are ephemeral and do not have a persistent in-game display once sent; no UI display exists to anonymize. Both chat messages and bulletin posts remain in our server-side audit logs (chat.log, accessible only to authorized administrators) with the original character name for the standard retention period (Section 4) for legal, moderation, and audit purposes
• Marketplace orders and pending items are cancelled and removed
• Your character name in boss first-kill records (public ranking entries) is automatically anonymized to [Deleted]. The underlying record (boss name, kill timestamp, kill duration) is preserved as shared game history

Note on backup snapshots: Personal data may persist in backup snapshots for up to 90 days after deletion, as backups rotate (see Section 4). During this window, backups are not actively accessed except for disaster recovery. After 90 days, all residual personal data is permanently and irrecoverably purged.

Account deletion of active data is irreversible. Once deleted, your data cannot be restored.

7. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Google Sign-In (Google LLC): for authentication. Subject to Google’s Privacy Policy.
• itch.io (Leaf Corcoran): for game distribution. Subject to itch.io’s Privacy Policy.
• Hosting provider: [TO BE UPDATED BEFORE PUBLIC RELEASE — specific VPS provider name, region, and their privacy policy URL will be inserted here after Phase 1 #6 contract]. Used for server infrastructure (game servers, database, log storage). Data may be physically stored in this provider’s data centers.

We do not control how these third parties handle your data. Please review their policies independently.

8. Changes to the Service

YSNH Games operates Grow with the Dungeon as a free game on a best-effort basis. We reserve the right to make significant changes to the Service, including but not limited to:

8.1 Future monetization

The Service is currently free of charge. However, we may introduce paid features, subscription tiers, in-game purchases, or transition to a paid model in the future. Reasons may include sustainability of server costs, expanded development scope, or operator decision. We will provide reasonable advance notice (at least 30 days) before introducing any paid features. Existing free players will be informed via the in-game announcement system and on the itch.io devlog.

If you object to monetization, you may delete your account before the changes take effect.

8.2 Service termination

We reserve the right to discontinue the Service at any time, including but not limited to the following circumstances:

• Server hosting costs become unsustainable
• No viable monetization path is established
• The game does not attract sufficient player interest
• Operator’s personal or professional circumstances prevent continued operation
• Technical, legal, or regulatory issues make continued operation impractical

In the event of Service termination, we will:

• Provide at least 30 days’ advance notice via in-game announcement and itch.io devlog when reasonably possible
• Permanently delete all stored personal data within 90 days of termination

Note on in-game progress: Character data (levels, items, inventory, currency) has no value or utility outside the Service. We do not provide character data exports, as such data is non-transferable to other games and cannot be used independently. You acknowledge that all in-game progress is lost upon Service termination.

Note on personal data export (data portability): Where required by applicable law (such as Article 20 of the EU/UK GDPR), eligible users may request a machine-readable export (typically JSON) of personal data they have provided to us while the Service is still operating, by emailing us. Such an export would typically include:

• Google Account ID and email address
• Account creation date and last login date
• Character names you created
• Chat messages you sent (subject to retention period in Section 4)
• Bulletin board posts you made

This export does not include:

• Server-generated data (character stats, levels, inventory contents, equipment, gameplay history, position data)
• Other players’ content (messages they sent to you, posts they made)
• Enforcement records (bans, mute history, internal moderation notes)
• Inferred or derived data (behavioral analytics, if any)

After Service termination, data export requests may no longer be available once the relevant personal data has been deleted or is no longer reasonably accessible (note: as stated above in this section, all personal data is permanently deleted within 90 days of termination).

You acknowledge and accept that, as a free service with no paid contract, no compensation or refund will be provided in the event of Service termination, modifications, or interruptions.

8.3 Privacy Policy updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last Updated” date at the top will reflect the latest revision. Significant changes will be announced via in-game notification or itch.io devlog. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

9. Children’s Privacy

The Service is not intended for users under the age of 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under this age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at grow.w.t.dungeon@gmail.com and we will take steps to delete it.

10. International Users

The Service is operated from Japan. If you access the Service from outside Japan, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Japan or other regions where our infrastructure is hosted, as necessary to provide and operate the Service.

11. Support and Communication

YSNH Games is operated by a single individual alongside other professional commitments. We cannot guarantee real-time or rapid response to inquiries.

• Support inquiries: grow.w.t.dungeon@gmail.com
• Bug reports: itch.io comments or email
• Service announcements: itch.io devlog (https://ysnhgames.itch.io/grow-with-the-dungeon)

We will respond on a best-effort basis. Typical response times may range from several days to several weeks.

12. Contact

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, contact us at:

Email: grow.w.t.dungeon@gmail.com Operator: YSNH Games (a sole proprietorship operated from Japan) Country: Japan

The operator’s full legal name is not published on this page for privacy reasons. It is available upon written request to the email above for legitimate legal, regulatory, or data protection enforcement purposes.

This Privacy Policy is provided in English only. For users with language barriers, please use translation tools or contact us for clarification. Upon request, we may provide a Japanese translation for convenience; however, the English version governs in case of any inconsistency.