Privacy Policy

MergeNova is designed with a minimal data footprint. We collect only what is strictly necessary to operate the game and improve your experience. Below is a complete breakdown:

A. Information You Provide Directly

• Display Name / Username — if you choose to appear on the weekly leaderboard, your chosen display name is stored on our servers.
• Contact Information — only if you email us for support. We use your email solely to respond to your inquiry.

B. Information Collected Automatically

• Game Progress & Scores — your highest tile reached, current score, coin balance, power-up inventory, and objectives progress. Stored locally on your device and optionally synced to Firebase for Cloud Save.
• Leaderboard Score — if you participate in Weekly Tournaments, your score and display name are stored in Firebase Firestore.
• Device Identifiers — anonymous device ID used by Google Play Games Services to link achievements and leaderboard entries. We cannot use this to identify you personally.
• Crash & Diagnostic Data — stack traces and error logs via Firebase Crashlytics to help us fix bugs. These logs do not contain personal information.
• Usage Analytics — aggregate, anonymized session data (e.g., session length, features used) via Firebase Analytics. No personally identifiable data is included.

C. Information We Do NOT Collect

• Your real name, phone number, or address
• Your location or GPS data
• Your camera, microphone, or contacts
• Payment or financial information (handled entirely by Google Play)
• Any data while playing offline

Every piece of data we collect has a specific, limited purpose. We do not use your data for anything beyond the following:

• To provide the game — saving your progress, syncing your score to the leaderboard, and managing power-up inventory.
• To fix bugs — crash reports help us identify and resolve technical issues in updates.
• To improve gameplay — anonymized analytics help us understand which features players enjoy, so we can build better updates.
• To show relevant ads — AdMob may use your device's advertising ID to serve contextual ads. You may opt out at any time via your device settings.
• To respond to support requests — if you contact us, we use your email solely to reply.

MergeNova integrates the following trusted third-party services. Each operates under their own privacy policy, which we encourage you to review:

MergeNova displays ads provided by Google AdMob. These ads help us keep the core game free for all players.

• AdMob may collect your device's Advertising ID to serve personalized ads based on your interests.
• You can opt out of personalized ads at any time by going to your Android Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization.
• If you opt out, you will still see ads, but they will be non-personalized (contextual only).
• We do not control which specific ads are shown — AdMob's algorithms handle ad selection based on Google's policies.

• We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age.
• The leaderboard feature requires a display name — this is the only user-provided data in the game. Children should use a nickname, not their real name.
• If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at edifytechm@gmail.com and we will promptly delete that data.
• Ads displayed to users in the "under 13" audience segment are non-personalized and COPPA-compliant through AdMob's child-directed treatment settings.

• Local game data (progress, settings) is stored on your device until you uninstall the app or clear app data.
• Cloud save data (Firebase) is retained as long as your account is active. You may request deletion at any time by contacting us.
• Leaderboard entries are retained per weekly tournament cycle. Past weekly leaderboards are cleared at the end of each tournament period.
• Crash logs are automatically deleted by Firebase Crashlytics after 90 days.
• Support emails are retained for up to 2 years and then permanently deleted.

Depending on your country of residence, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Deletion — request that we permanently delete your data ("right to be forgotten").
• Right to Correction — request that we correct any inaccurate data we hold about you.
• Right to Opt Out — opt out of personalized advertising at any time via Android device settings.
• Right to Portability — request your data in a portable, machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at edifytechm@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.

We implement industry-standard security practices to protect your data:

• All data transmitted between the app and Firebase is encrypted using TLS 1.2+ (HTTPS).
• Firebase Firestore data is protected by server-side security rules — users can only read/write their own leaderboard entry.
• We do not store passwords — authentication is handled entirely by Google Play Games Services.
• Firebase servers are hosted on Google Cloud Platform, which maintains SOC 2, ISO 27001, and other enterprise security certifications.

While we take every reasonable precaution, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. If you believe your data has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

EdifyStudio is based in Georgia. Our backend services (Firebase) are operated by Google and may process your data on servers located in the United States or other countries.

By using MergeNova, you consent to the transfer of your data to these locations. Google's Standard Contractual Clauses and Privacy Shield commitments ensure that all transfers comply with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the game, our practices, or legal requirements. When we do:

• The "Effective Date" at the top of this page will be updated.
• For significant changes, we will notify you via an in-app notice or a Play Store update description.
• Continued use of MergeNova after a policy update constitutes your acceptance of the new terms.

We encourage you to review this page periodically. Past versions are available upon request.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, our team is ready to help.

We are committed to resolving any privacy concerns within 30 days of receiving your request.