Privacy Policy

Onward & Up · Effective May 12, 2026

The short version

Onward & Up does not collect, store, or share personal data with the developer or any third party.

The game uses Apple's own services — Game Center (optional leaderboard) and iCloud (optional high‑score sync) — which are governed by Apple's privacy policy. There are no third‑party SDKs, no analytics, no advertising networks, no tracking, and no accounts to create.

1. Who this policy is from

This policy applies to Onward & Up (bundle identifier com.onwardandup.app), an iPhone game published by Alen James as an individual developer through the Apple App Store. Throughout this document, "we," "us," and "the developer" refer to that publisher; "you" and "the user" refer to anyone who installs or plays the game.

2. What data the game handles

Onward & Up is a single‑player tile puzzle. The game does not require an account, an email address, or any sign‑up. The only data it touches is described below, and none of it is transmitted to the developer.

Data stored only on your device

Game progress — the current board, score, and move count, saved automatically so you can resume.
Highest score — your personal best.
Discovered tile levels — which element/level combinations you've seen.
Settings — sound, music, ambiance, and haptics preferences.

This data is stored locally using iOS's standard preferences storage (UserDefaults). It never leaves your device unless you have iCloud sync enabled (see §3).

Data processed by Apple on your behalf

The following data is handled entirely by Apple's services. The developer does not receive, store, or have access to any of it in identifiable form.

Game Center — if you choose to sign in, Apple uses your Game Center display name and identifier to show your score on the in‑game leaderboard alongside other players. You can sign out of Game Center in iOS Settings at any time.
iCloud Key‑Value Storage — if you are signed into iCloud on your device, your highest score is synced across your own Apple devices so you can pick up where you left off on a different iPhone. The data is encrypted by Apple in transit and at rest, and only you can access it.
In‑App Purchases (StoreKit) — if you choose to buy the optional "Second Wind" continue, Apple processes the payment. The developer receives an anonymized transaction receipt confirming the purchase but does not receive your name, payment method, address, or any other personal information.

What is not collected

To be explicit, Onward & Up does not:

collect your email, name, phone number, or postal address;
request access to your location, contacts, camera, microphone, photos, or any other device sensor;
use third‑party analytics (Google Analytics, Firebase, Mixpanel, or similar);
use advertising networks or show ads of any kind;
use remarketing, retargeting, or attribution SDKs;
use crash‑reporting services other than the anonymized reports Apple itself collects if you have opted into "Share With App Developers" in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements;
track you across other apps or websites.

3. How this data is used

Local data is used solely to let you play and resume the game. Game Center data is used solely to display the leaderboard you have opted into. iCloud data is used solely to sync your own progress between your own devices. StoreKit receipts are used solely to unlock the feature you purchased.

None of this data is sold, rented, shared, or transferred to anyone for marketing, advertising, profiling, or any commercial purpose.

4. Sharing

The developer does not share any data with third parties. The only parties involved in processing data described in this policy are:

Apple Inc. — operator of Game Center, iCloud, and the App Store. Apple's handling of this data is governed by the Apple Privacy Policy and the Game Center / iCloud terms in iOS.

5. Data retention & deletion

Local game data persists on your device until you delete the app, which removes all local data immediately. Game Center scores can be removed by deleting your Game Center data through your Apple ID privacy controls at privacy.apple.com. iCloud‑synced score data can be deleted the same way, or by signing out of iCloud and choosing to remove app data.

6. Children's privacy

Onward & Up is rated 4+ and is suitable for all ages, but it is not specifically directed at children under 13. Because the game does not collect any personal information from any user — child or adult — it complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting nothing. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has somehow provided personal information through the game, please contact us at the address in §10 and we will help you confirm that no such information exists on our side.

7. Users in the European Union and United Kingdom (GDPR / UK GDPR)

For users in the EU, EEA, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK GDPR apply.

Data controller: Alen James, contactable at the email address in §10.

Lawful basis for processing: Because the developer does not collect or process personal data itself, the GDPR rights below apply primarily to data Apple processes on your behalf through Game Center, iCloud, and StoreKit — for which Apple is the data controller and processor. The lawful basis for any data the game stores locally on your device is your legitimate interest in being able to play and resume the game.

Your rights under GDPR include the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing of, and port your personal data, as well as the right to object to processing and to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. To exercise rights regarding data processed by Apple, please use privacy.apple.com. To exercise rights regarding any local data, simply delete the app from your device, which erases it.

8. Users in California (CCPA / CPRA / CalOPPA)

For users in California, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) apply.

Categories of personal information collected: none, as described in §2.

Sale or sharing of personal information: the developer does not sell or share personal information, as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA. We have not done so in the past 12 months and have no intention of doing so in the future.

Sensitive personal information: none collected.

Your rights under California law include the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete personal information, the right to correct inaccurate information, the right to opt out of sale or sharing, the right to limit use of sensitive information, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising any of these rights. Because the developer collects nothing, there is nothing to delete, correct, or opt out of — but you may still contact us at the address in §10 to ask any question about your rights.

"Do Not Track" signals: the game does not track users across apps or websites and does not respond differently to "Do Not Track" or Global Privacy Control signals because there is no tracking to enable or disable.

9. Changes to this policy

If this policy changes — for example, if a future update adds a feature that handles data differently — the updated policy will appear at this URL with a new effective date, and the change will be summarized at the top of this document for at least 30 days. Material changes that affect how your data is handled will additionally be surfaced inside the app on the next launch.

10. Contact

For any question about this policy or about your data, contact:

Alen James
alentomjames@gmail.com

Please include "Onward & Up Privacy" in the subject line so the message routes correctly.