Privacy policy

Last updated 11 October 2026

Skywatch: First Contact is operated by Harvey Whiting. This policy covers the game, skywatchgame.com and support correspondence. Questions or data requests: contact@skywatchgame.com.

Playing and saving on your device

The browser game stores campaigns, battle progress, settings, tutorial flags and discovered-species history in browser storage. Session storage also passes mission information between screens. Clearing website data can remove your local progress.

The current iOS build stores campaign and battle checkpoints in a local SQLite database in the app's storage, with recent recovery snapshots and save-operation records. Preferences and tutorial flags also use the app's local web storage. Offline guest saves stay on the device. When connected, sign in with Google or Apple to play and synchronize progress. After the first sign-in, your cached account and local progress let you continue offline. Reconnecting retries pending checkpoints; differing device and cloud campaigns require your choice rather than silently replacing progress.

Deleting the iOS app can remove local progress. App data may also be included in backups managed by your device or Apple, according to your backup settings. A backup is not the same as Skywatch cross-device cloud sync.

Accounts and cloud saves

The live website requires sign-in to start or continue a campaign. You can read these pages and browse the gameplay gallery without signing in.

When you choose Google sign-in on the website or Google or Apple sign-in in the iOS app, Firebase Authentication receives an account identifier, display name, email address and, if provided, profile image URL. The game uses the identifier to associate saves with your account and displays account details so you can recognize the signed-in user. Apple may provide a private relay email if you choose Hide My Email. We do not receive your Google or Apple password. Native credentials remain in the device's secure Keychain, not in game-save files.

Signed-in campaign and mission saves, including squad choices, names you enter, progress and save timestamps, are stored using Google Firestore. Native checkpoints use private Cloud Storage through authenticated Firebase Functions, with Firestore tracking cloud heads and operation receipts. Authentication and access checks restrict access to your account's saves. Signing out does not delete cloud saves. Copying offline guest progress or importing a website campaign into the native app requires an explicit choice. Website and native saves currently use separate cloud histories; a website import does not continuously mirror future native play back to the website.

Network and service providers

• Google Firebase hosts the website and provides authentication and cloud-save storage. Loading pages, assets or account services sends the network information needed to deliver them, such as your IP address and browser request information. Native App Check uses Apple's App Attest to verify genuine app requests, including attestation and assertion objects. Sign-in providers may process device/account identifiers, IP-derived approximate location and sign-in activity for their security and service operations. Providers may keep operational and security logs.
• Cloudflare routes messages sent to our support address to a Gmail inbox. Those providers process your sender address, message and any attachments. We use this information to answer you and investigate issues.
• Apple handles App Store purchases, distribution and any device backups you enable. We do not receive your payment-card details. Apple's handling of your Apple Account and purchases is covered by its own privacy policy.
• Following a community or other external link takes you to another service, which has its own privacy policy. Do not include private account information in public community posts.

Providers may process information outside your country. See Google's privacy policy, Cloudflare's privacy policy and Apple's privacy policy.

Tracking and device permissions

Skywatch does not include advertising, marketing analytics, tracking pixels or cross-app tracking. We do not sell personal information or share it for targeted advertising. Authentication uses the storage necessary to keep you signed in. The game does not request access to your contacts, precise location, photos, camera or microphone.

Local performance and lifecycle checks, such as whether the app is active or the device reports a thermal state, support running the game; they are not a Skywatch player-analytics feed. Authentication SDKs and their providers may process their own service diagnostics. Optional Firebase SDK diagnostic collection is disabled in the native app. If you send a report or screenshot to support, its contents are included in that correspondence.

Why we use information

We use account and save information to provide the features you request; operational information to keep the service reliable and secure; and correspondence to provide support. Where applicable data-protection law requires a legal basis, these purposes rely on performing the requested service, our legitimate interests in support and security, or compliance with legal obligations. We do not use your information for automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.

Retention, deletion and your choices

Local data remains until it is replaced or removed by you, the game or your device. Recent native save snapshots rotate as you play. Cloud account and save data remain while your account is in use or until deletion is requested. Native sync keeps eight recent accepted checkpoints per slot and preserves unresolved conflicting checkpoints, subject to account storage limits. Operation receipts remain to prevent old retries from replacing newer progress. Support messages are retained as needed to resolve your request, handle follow-up issues and meet legal obligations. Provider backups and security records may remain for their applicable retention periods.

In the iOS app, open the account button, choose Delete my account and confirm after signing in again. This deletes the Skywatch authentication account and its web and native cloud saves, plus that account's local native saves on this device. Separate offline guest progress is preserved. Other devices' local copies and provider backups are managed separately; deletion does not delete your Google or Apple account.

To request access, correction, a copy or deletion of your account, cloud saves or support correspondence, email contact@skywatchgame.com. We may ask for information necessary to verify account ownership; never send a password or sign-in code. We respond in accordance with applicable law and explain any information that must be retained. Depending on your location, you may also have rights to restrict or object to processing, withdraw consent where processing relies on it, or complain to your local data-protection authority.

Clearing website data or deleting the app removes local copies, not cloud records. Device backups are managed separately in your device or Apple account settings. Preserve progress before deleting local data.

Children

Skywatch is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from them. Contact us if you believe a child has provided personal information so we can investigate and remove it.

Changes and contact

We update this page when practices change and show the revision date above. Material changes will also be communicated through the game or website.

Harvey Whiting · contact@skywatchgame.com