Privacy Policy

Last updated: 29 August 2026

This privacy policy explains how personal data is processed when you use the mobile app Sternenbruch (app ID: com.starfracture, the “app”) and this website. This is a translation of the German original; in case of doubt, the German version prevails.

1. Controller

2. General information about the app

Using the app requires no registration; there are no user accounts. Saved games, progress and settings are stored locally on your device. This local data is never transmitted to us and is removed when you uninstall the app or clear its data.

The app is funded by advertising and offers crash reporting and gameplay statistics that you can enable voluntarily. The Google services involved are described in the following sections.

3. Consent management (Google UMP)

The Android version uses the Google User Messaging Platform (UMP) to determine whether a consent request is required, to store your consent status and, where applicable, to display a consent form. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”).

This may involve processing your IP address, device information, app identifier, consent decisions and technical diagnostic information. Accessing or storing information on your device and the subsequent processing are based, where required, on your consent under Section 25(1) TDDDG and Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. Where consent is not legally required, processing takes place only to the extent permitted by law.

4. Advertising (Google AdMob)

At certain points in the game, the Android version shows full-screen ads (“interstitials”) via Google AdMob. Ad requests are only made once UMP permits them according to the stored consent status.

Depending on your consent, your device settings and the ads Google serves, the following data may be processed, among others:

• IP address and the approximate region derived from it,
• advertising ID and other device or app identifiers,
• device, operating system and app information,
• interactions with ads and with the app, and
• diagnostic, performance and fraud-prevention data.

This processing serves to deliver and measure advertising, to personalize it where applicable, and for fraud prevention, security and technical delivery. Where consent is required, it is based on Section 25(1) TDDDG and Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. You may withdraw consent at any time with effect for the future. Where Google offers a renewed choice for your device, the app settings provide the “Manage privacy options” button under “Ad privacy”.

For more information, see the privacy information for the Google Mobile Ads SDK, the Google Privacy Policy and Google Business Data Responsibility.

5. Voluntary crash reports (Firebase Crashlytics)

The app uses Firebase Crashlytics by Google to detect and fix errors and crashes. Collection is disabled by default and is only enabled once you explicitly agree in the consent dialog. You can withdraw this decision at any time in the app settings under “Send crash reports”.

When collection is enabled, the data transmitted to Google may include your device type, operating system, app version, the time and technical state of the app at the moment of the crash, stack traces, diagnostic information and a Firebase installation ID. We use this information solely for stability analysis and troubleshooting. The legal basis is your consent under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. Under Firebase's rules, crash reports are generally stored for up to 90 days.

For more information, see the Firebase privacy information.

6. Voluntary gameplay statistics (Firebase Analytics)

The app uses Firebase Analytics by Google (the app client of Google Analytics 4) to understand how the game is actually played — for example, how often a run is won and at which wave it ends. Collection is disabled by default and is only enabled once you explicitly agree in the consent dialog. This decision is independent of your consent to crash reports and can be withdrawn at any time in the app settings.

When collection is enabled, the app transmits three events — the start of a run (run_start), a cleared wave (wave_cleared) and the end of a run (run_end) — with purely game-related information: difficulty level, wave reached, win or loss, run duration, remaining hull points, credits earned, number of kills, deck size and dominant deck synergy, the start bonus chosen, player rank and the number of runs played so far. In addition, Google Analytics automatically collects information such as a pseudonymous app instance ID, device and operating system type, app version, language and an approximate region derived from your IP address.

No names, email addresses, account data or free-text entries are transmitted; the app has no user accounts. The data is evaluated in aggregate only, to improve game balance and difficulty. The legal basis is your consent under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and, where information is stored on or read from your device, Section 25(1) TDDDG. The retention period follows the settings of the Google Analytics property.

For more information, see the Firebase privacy information.

7. Data transfers by Google services

With UMP, AdMob and Firebase, processing by Google LLC and further processors outside the European Economic Area — in particular in the USA — is possible. Google LLC is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. Where necessary, Google additionally relies on appropriate safeguards such as EU standard contractual clauses. The specific retention period for advertising and consent data depends on the purpose, account settings and Google's deletion rules.

8. App stores and in-app review

The app is distributed through the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Downloads, installation, updates and payments are processed by the respective store provider under its own responsibility. On Android, the app may show a voluntary in-app review prompt via Google Play; a review is submitted directly to Google Play.

• Google Privacy Policy
• Apple Privacy Policy

9. External links (Discord)

The app contains a link to a Discord server for feedback and discussion. You only leave the app when you open the link; the Discord privacy policy applies from that point on. Merely displaying the link transmits no data to Discord.

10. Hosting of this website on GitHub Pages

This website is provided as a GitHub Pages site by GitHub, Inc., 88 Colin P Kelly Jr Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. When you access it, GitHub processes technically necessary connection data, in particular your IP address, the time of access, the file requested, the amount of data transferred and browser and operating system information. This processing serves the secure and reliable delivery of the website and is based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in publishing the information about the app that is required by law and by contract.

For more information, see the GitHub privacy statement. This website itself sets no analytics or marketing cookies.

11. Your rights

Subject to the statutory requirements, you have in particular the right to:

• access to the data processed (Art. 15 GDPR),
• rectification of inaccurate data (Art. 16 GDPR),
• erasure (Art. 17 GDPR),
• restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR),
• data portability (Art. 20 GDPR),
• object to processing based on Art. 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR (Art. 21 GDPR), and
• withdraw consent with effect for the future (Art. 7(3) GDPR).

To exercise your rights, an email to sternenbruch.stature691@passmail.net is sufficient. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority (Art. 77 GDPR).

12. Changes to this privacy policy

We update this privacy policy when features, the services we use or legal requirements change. The current version is always available at this address.