Privacy Policy

01Who we are & what this covers

This policy covers Pocket Valley for iPhone (the App), provided by the developer identified in the contact section (“we”, “us” or “our”). It describes local gameplay, iCloud saves, Game Center leaderboards, support, and this legal website. Apple Watch companion support is currently paused and is not part of the current iPhone experience. Features available to you depend on your installed version.

You do not create a Pocket Valley account. Core farming works offline; iCloud and Game Center use your Apple accounts and require the relevant Apple services. The App has no developer-hosted game server, advertising SDK, third-party analytics SDK, or third-party crash-reporting SDK. This does not mean that all data stays on your device: the Apple services described below process game data.

02Game data & device storage

The App saves your farm on your iPhone so you can continue playing offline. It keeps local recovery and synchronization records to reduce accidental loss and distinguish saves belonging to different iCloud accounts. The farm data described below may also sync to iCloud; device preferences and local technical records are handled separately.

• Farm progress: crops, inventory, virtual coins, buildings, story and task progress, game events, and diary entries.
• Companion information: your fox’s chosen name and related progress. Use a fictional name rather than personal information; the name is included in the cloud save.
• Timing and sales records: growth deadlines, save times, daily and lifetime crop-sale income, and the Game Center player identifier bound to the farm when you sign in. These support progression, score calculation, and prevention of duplicate submissions.
• Save and account identifiers: save versions, change identifiers, recovery copies, and an Apple-provided iCloud account identifier and its derived hash for account separation. These are functional identifiers, not advertising identifiers.
• Device preferences: music, haptics, reduced motion, the record that a rating request was attempted, and leaderboard submission history. These local preferences and technical records are separate from the farm save.

03Private iCloud saves

When an iCloud account and the required services are available, the App starts synchronization automatically using Apple CloudKit. There is currently no separate in-app switch to opt in to or turn off cloud synchronization. Without an available iCloud account or connection, the App can continue saving locally; pending changes may sync when service becomes available.

CloudKit stores the full farm save and synchronization metadata in the private database associated with your iCloud account. This can include your companion’s name, diary, income records, and the Game Center identifier saved with your farm. These records are not published to other players. We do not upload them to a separate developer-operated server, and do not receive your Apple account password or email address through this integration.

If device and cloud saves conflict, the App keeps recovery copies and asks you to choose which farm to continue. Conflict copies may be retained both locally and in your private iCloud storage. Signing out or changing iCloud accounts does not itself erase existing account-specific local saves. Check the App’s cloud status and confirmation time before relying on another device to have your latest progress.

iCloud synchronization is distinct from an iPhone or computer backup. Storage availability, connectivity, account settings, and Apple’s services affect synchronization. Manage access through the iCloud controls available on your device; disabling access does not itself delete previously stored data.

04Game Center & public leaderboards

The Harvest leaderboards use Apple Game Center. The App attempts to connect when active and may show Apple’s sign-in interface. If you are already signed in, it can authenticate without a separate in-app sign-in step. After authentication, eligible crop-sale scores are submitted automatically, including retries after a connection is restored; opening the leaderboard is not required for submission.

The App uses your Game Center player identifier, nickname, submitted scores, and ranking information to associate income with the correct player and display daily, weekly, and all-time boards. It also loads the nicknames, scores, and ranks of other listed players. Your leaderboard nickname, score, and rank can be visible to other players through Game Center. Your private farm snapshot and fox’s name are not submitted as leaderboard entries. The App does not request your Game Center friends list.

You can play the farm without signing in to Game Center. Manage your Game Center profile and sign-in through Apple’s settings. Signing out stops future authenticated submissions from the App but does not erase earlier scores. Game Center’s account rules, privacy settings, and retention practices are controlled by Apple.

05Permissions, ratings & diagnostics

The current App does not request access to your location, contacts, photos, camera, microphone, or Health data. Music is bundled audio playback, not recording. The App does not use advertising identifiers, track you across other companies’ apps or websites, sell personal information, or share it for targeted advertising.

The App may ask iOS to show Apple’s rating prompt after an early gameplay milestone. It records locally that a request was attempted; it does not receive your rating or review through that prompt. The current App has no in-app purchases or subscriptions.

Apple may process App Store, Game Center, device, diagnostic, or TestFlight information under its own policies and your settings. If Apple makes crash reports or beta feedback available to us, we use them to investigate problems and improve the App. This is separate from an analytics SDK inside Pocket Valley.

06Feedback & support email

The in-app feedback button opens a draft in your mail app. Its subject includes the App version, build number, and iOS version. Opening the draft does not send it. You can review or edit it and choose whether to send; game saves and screenshots are not automatically attached.

When you send a message, we receive your email address, the message and its version information, and any attachments you choose to include. We use them to reply, troubleshoot, and handle support or privacy requests. Please send only what is needed and avoid sensitive personal information.

Our email provider processes correspondence for delivery and storage. We do not use support messages for advertising. We may disclose relevant information when required by applicable law or necessary to protect legal rights, subject to applicable safeguards.

07Retention, recovery copies & deletion

Local data: farm saves, recovery copies, and local settings remain in the App’s storage until removed. There is currently no in-app account, reset-save button, or complete data-export/delete tool. Deleting Pocket Valley from your iPhone removes its local App data; offloading the App preserves documents and data. If you still have an older Watch companion installed, remove its local data separately.

iCloud data: deleting or offloading the App, signing out, or turning off iCloud access does not necessarily delete the cloud farm or conflict archives. The App does not currently apply an automatic expiration period to cloud conflict archives. Use Apple’s iCloud storage-management options where available to remove the App’s cloud data; if you cannot find the relevant option, contact us for guidance. We do not have a support console that can browse or delete your private CloudKit save on your behalf.

Restoration: reinstalling the App or reconnecting iCloud may restore an existing cloud farm. If the App detects removal of a previously synchronized cloud record, it retains the local farm and pauses automatic re-upload until you choose to restore it to iCloud. Other saved copies and device backups are separate; manage them through the services that hold them.

Game Center: deleting the App or its iCloud farm does not delete submitted scores or your Game Center profile. The App has no leaderboard-data deletion button. Use Apple’s Game Center and privacy controls or contact Apple for requests concerning those records; contact us if you need help identifying the relevant data.

Support correspondence: we retain it only as long as reasonably needed to resolve your request and meet applicable legal obligations. You may request deletion using the contact details below; we will explain restrictions if continued retention is legally required.

08Your choices & privacy rights

You can play offline, choose a fictional companion name, adjust the App’s music and feedback settings, decline a Game Center sign-in prompt, and manage iCloud, Game Center, diagnostics, and device backups through Apple’s available controls. A service may reconnect automatically while the relevant Apple account remains available; merely closing a cloud or leaderboard screen does not disable the service.

We use game data to provide saving, synchronization, and rankings, support information to answer requests, and available diagnostics to maintain reliability. Where applicable law requires a legal basis, processing is based on providing the service you request, our legitimate interests in support and security, legal obligations, or consent where required. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it without affecting earlier lawful processing.

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, receive a copy of, restrict, or object to processing of personal information. Contact us to exercise applicable rights. We may request proportionate information to verify your request and explain where device-held or Apple-managed records require action on your device or with Apple. You may also complain to your local data protection authority.

09Children’s privacy

The App does not require a separate Pocket Valley account, provide player chat, or ask for a real name. Nevertheless, iCloud saves and Game Center rankings process the information described above, including for eligible younger players using those services. A fictional companion name is recommended, and a Game Center nickname should not disclose sensitive personal details.

Parents and guardians should supervise use where required, review Apple account and Game Center settings, and use Apple’s available parental controls. Please help children avoid sending unnecessary personal information in support messages. If you believe a child has sent us information that should not be retained, contact us so we can review and delete it as required by applicable law.

10Security & service providers

Local saves use iOS storage protections, and the App uses Apple’s CloudKit and Game Center interfaces for the services described above. Cloud saves use account-scoped private storage; Game Center leaderboards have public entries. Keep your device and Apple account secure. Recovery copies reduce some risks but do not guarantee recovery, and no storage or transmission method is completely secure.

Apple, our email provider, and the website hosting provider process information for the purposes described in this policy. Apple services have their own terms and privacy policies. Processing may occur outside your country, subject to applicable provider safeguards and legal requirements. We do not sell game saves or support correspondence.

11Reading this policy on the web

Opening this web page creates a normal web request, which may expose your IP address, browser information, and request time to the website hosting provider for delivery and security. This legal page does not add advertising or analytics scripts, and its language switch uses the page URL rather than cookies or browser storage. Website requests are separate from App gameplay data.

12Changes to this policy

We will update this page and its revision date when our practices change. Material changes will be communicated through an appropriate notice, and we will obtain consent where required before beginning new processing. Planned features are not treated as existing data collection in this policy.