Privacy Policy
Istikan Chai Privacy Policy
Game: Istikan Chai
Developer: Istikan Studio
Contact: danar@istikan.studio
1. Summary
Istikan Chai is a single-player tea-stall game. You can play it without giving us your name, email address, phone number, or precise location — we never ask for them.
To improve the game and to understand which of our advertising campaigns bring players to it, the game can collect information about how it is played, basic device and performance information, purchases, and how the app was installed. On phones and tablets this collection only happens if you agree to it when the game first asks, and you can change your mind at any time (see section 8).
The game does not show ads to you inside the game. It does, however, measure the performance of ads we run on other platforms, which involves sharing limited information with the partners listed in section 4. Some of that measurement counts as “tracking” under Apple’s definition, which is why iOS also asks for your permission separately (see section 5).
2. What we collect, and why
Gameplay and progress information — the day and city you have reached, days completed and the star rating for them, tutorial steps started and finished, customers served, when the shop screen is opened, in-game purchases of cosmetic items, and your settings such as language and volume.
Why: to see where players get stuck or lose interest, to balance difficulty, and to decide what to build next.
Purchase information — that the full-game unlock was bought, its price and currency, and the store transaction identifier.
Why: to deliver what you paid for, to restore it if you reinstall, and to measure whether our advertising is worth what it costs. Payment itself is handled entirely by Apple, Google, or Steam — we never see your card or payment details.
Device and technical information — device model, operating system, and similar basic technical details, plus whether the app was installed from an official store.
Why: to support the devices players actually use, to diagnose problems, and to keep statistics from being distorted by unofficial copies of the game.
Advertising identifier — on phones and tablets, your device’s advertising identifier, and only if you separately allow tracking when asked.
Why: so an install or purchase can be attributed to the advertisement that led to it. If you decline, we fall back to Apple’s aggregate SKAdNetwork reporting, which does not identify you or your device.
Bug reports you choose to send — if you use the in-game bug report form, we receive the description you write, basic hardware details (operating system, processor, memory, graphics device), and, if you leave the attachment option enabled, a copy of your game save file so we can reproduce the problem. These reports are delivered to our team through Discord.
Why: to investigate and fix the problem you reported. Nothing is sent unless you submit the form, and you can switch the save-file attachment off before sending.
Platform account identifiers — a Game Center player identifier on Apple devices, a Google Play Games player identifier and public gamer profile such as a display name on Android, or a Steam identifier on Steam.
Why: to sign you in to the platform’s game service so achievements and cloud saves work. These are provided by the platform, not created by us.
An anonymous player identifier created by the analytics service so repeat sessions from the same install can be counted without identifying you personally.
3. What we never collect
We do not collect your real name, email address, phone number, contacts, photos, precise location, or any payment or card details. The game does not use your camera, microphone, or health data. We do not sell your information, and we do not share it with data brokers.
4. Services that process data for us
| Service | Provider | What it is used for |
|---|---|---|
| Unity Gaming Services Analytics | Unity Technologies | Session and gameplay analytics, entitlement checks |
| Google Analytics for Firebase | Gameplay and purchase analytics for marketing measurement | |
| Meta app events | Meta Platforms | Measuring and attributing our advertising campaigns |
| Discord | Discord Inc. | Delivering bug reports you choose to send |
| Game Center / iCloud | Apple | Sign-in, achievements, cloud saves (Apple devices) |
| Google Play Games Services | Sign-in, achievements, cloud saves (Android) | |
| Steam | Valve | Sign-in, achievements, Steam Cloud saves |
| In-app purchasing | Apple, Google, Valve | Processing and verifying purchases |
These providers handle information under their own privacy policies, and some are located outside your country, so information may be transferred and stored internationally with appropriate safeguards.
Google Analytics for Firebase and Meta app events are used only in the phone and tablet versions. The Steam version does not include them.
The game also skips analytics entirely when it detects that the app did not come from an official store, so unofficial copies do not report anything.
5. Advertising, and Apple’s tracking permission
We do not display advertisements inside Istikan Chai. We do advertise the game on other platforms, and we measure whether those advertisements work — which means telling Meta and Google that an install, a completed day, or a purchase happened.
On iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS, that measurement can use your device’s advertising identifier only if you allow it through Apple’s App Tracking Transparency prompt. If you decline, or never answer:
- the advertising identifier is not used, and
- we rely on Apple’s SKAdNetwork, which reports campaign results in aggregate and does not identify you or your device.
You can change this at any time in Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
6. Purchases and the full-game unlock
Buying the full game is processed by Apple, Google, or Steam. The game keeps a record that you own it and checks the store receipt on your device when it starts, so your purchase still works offline and after a reinstall. We do not receive or store your payment details.
7. Cloud saves
If you are signed in to Game Center, Google Play Games, or Steam, your progress can be backed up to that platform’s cloud so it carries over between your own devices and after a reinstall.
This save data is stored in your own account with Apple, Google, or Valve — it is not sent to us, and we cannot read it. The one exception is a save file you deliberately attach to a bug report (section 2). You can remove cloud saves through your platform account settings.
8. Your choices, and how to withdraw consent
On phones and tablets the game asks, on first launch, whether you agree to this collection. If you decline, analytics and advertising measurement are switched off and the game remains fully playable. If the notice materially changes, we ask again.
You can also:
- change Apple’s tracking permission in Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking;
- reset or limit your advertising identifier in your device settings;
- ask us to delete the analytics data associated with your install by contacting us at the address in section 12, or by using the data-deletion option in the game’s settings where available;
- manage platform data through your Apple ID, Google Account, or Steam account settings;
- delete the game, which removes the save data stored on that device.
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, export, or delete your personal information, and to object to certain processing. Contact us and we will act on your request in line with applicable law.
9. Legal bases (for players in the EEA and UK)
Where the law requires a legal basis, we rely on: your consent for analytics and advertising measurement; performance of a contract for delivering purchases and cloud saves; and our legitimate interests in keeping the game working, secure, and free from fraudulent or unofficial copies.
10. Children
Istikan Chai is not directed at young children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
11. How long we keep information
Analytics and advertising-measurement information is kept only as long as needed for those purposes, and is subject to the retention periods of the services in section 4. Bug reports are kept until the issue is resolved and are then deleted. Purchase records are kept as long as required for support and accounting.
12. Changes and contact
We will update this policy when the game changes what it collects, and we will change the “last updated” date above. Significant changes are also reflected in the notice shown inside the game.
Questions or requests about this policy:
Istikan Studio
danar@istikan.studio