1. Overview
HIKOO STUDIO CO., LIMITED ("HIKOO STUDIO," "we," "us," or "our") provides Paw Encore (the "Game"), including Android and iOS app identifier com.hikoostudio.pawencore. This policy explains how we handle information when you use the Game, its account services, support channels, and this website.
Paw Encore is an online game for saved progression. Google Play Games Services authenticates Android players; TikTok authenticates players on the TikTok platform; iOS uses a random installation credential stored in the iOS Keychain to create or resume an internal Paw Encore player account. No user registration or sign-in is required on iOS. We do not use an iOS hardware or advertising identifier as the installation credential. Google Play Games, TikTok, and installation-based identities are not automatically linked to one another.
2. Data we process
Depending on your platform and actions, we process:
- a verified Google Play Games player identifier, TikTok platform identifier, or pseudonymous iOS installation credential, plus our internal player ID;
- tutorial and level progress, game sessions and results, inventory, energy, poster progress, rewards, and content version;
- when you enable Share Gameplay Analytics on iOS, gameplay and interface-interaction events linked to the internal player account, used to understand and improve the Game;
- request timestamps, request IDs, approximate location derived from IP address, IP address, error and diagnostic information, and security or rate-limit signals; unexpected backend errors may be associated with a pseudonymous internal player ID and request ID for diagnosis;
- on Android, Firebase Crashlytics crash, native, and relevant non-fatal stack traces, relevant application state, relevant device metadata, and Crashlytics/Firebase installation identifiers used to group failures and estimate affected installations; Android reports may also include application-not-responding information;
- when rewarded ads are available on Android or iOS, advertising and app-interaction data processed by Google, including ad views and taps, diagnostic information, and device or account identifiers made available by the operating system;
- survey choices and, only when you choose to provide it, a short game-feedback response of up to 500 characters; surveys do not ask for your name or contact details;
- support and privacy messages you choose to send us; and
- essential website request data processed by our hosting and delivery providers.
For Google Play Games sign-in, we request a one-time server authorization code and do not request Google email, contacts, precise location, photos, audio, or payment information. We do not use an Android hardware identifier or advertising identifier as your Paw Encore account identity.
On iOS, a first-launch notice appears before Paw Encore connects to its account, optional gameplay analytics, or advertising services. The notice explains the installation-linked account and saved progress that are required to provide the Game. The optional Share Gameplay Analytics choice is off by default, and you can continue with it off.
The Android and iOS versions use Google Mobile Ads to offer optional rewarded video ads, such as ads that grant energy after successful completion. Google may automatically collect and share IP address, product interactions, diagnostic information, and device or account identifiers for advertising, analytics, and fraud prevention. We do not use these identifiers as your Paw Encore account identity.
We use Google's User Messaging Platform to request and record privacy choices where required. The Game requests ads only after that platform indicates that ads may be requested. If consent is required and is not available, rewarded ads and the associated optional rewards remain unavailable.
When Google requires privacy options to remain available, iOS players can reopen them from the Game's Settings. The iOS version does not request App Tracking Transparency permission, app-owned code does not access the IDFA, and the Game disables personalized publisher treatment before Google Mobile Ads starts.
The current Android and iOS releases do not offer in-app purchases. Optional rewarded ads are not purchases.
The Android version uses Firebase Crashlytics to diagnose Java and native crashes and application-not-responding failures. The current iOS build does not embed or operate Firebase Crashlytics or another app-controlled crash-reporting SDK. When Apple makes platform diagnostics available under your device, TestFlight, and Apple privacy settings, we may use Xcode Organizer/TestFlight reports, device logs, and reproducible steps to diagnose iOS failures.
The iOS gameplay-analytics choice does not control required account, progress, security, deletion, or first-party API error and abuse-prevention processing. It also does not replace Google's separate advertising privacy choices. Rewarded ads remain optional, and Google Mobile Ads and User Messaging Platform process data under the advertising disclosures above when those services are used.
Our backend may use Sentry to receive unexpected server error and panic diagnostics. Those events may include a pseudonymous internal player ID, request or session correlation ID, operation label, server environment, and scrubbed request path, but not authorization headers, raw platform credentials, authorization codes or tokens, or request-body content.
3. How and why we use data
- to authenticate you and save, restore, and settle game progress;
- to maintain sessions, inventory, energy, rewards, posters, and content delivery;
- to prevent fraud, abuse, cheating, and service attacks;
- to diagnose failures, measure essential game operation, and provide support;
- to collect optional game feedback and analyze it in aggregate;
- to provide optional rewarded ads, measure ad delivery, and prevent advertising fraud;
- to respond to privacy requests and meet legal or platform obligations.
We use this information to perform the service you request, pursue legitimate interests in operating and securing the Game, comply with legal obligations, and obtain consent where applicable law requires it. We do not sell personal information.
4. Local storage, providers, and international processing
Saved progression, inventory, energy, posters, and rewards are held by the Paw Encore backend, not as a local save. The Game may retain device preferences and, while an account-deletion result is unresolved, a protected recovery record in the iOS Keychain containing the internal player reference, deletion-request UUID, and a randomly generated recovery capability. The capability is sent only to our account-deletion and deletion-recovery endpoints and cannot be used to log in, read game data, or create or advance progression. The record is removed after the server confirms deletion and local cleanup finishes, or after the server confirms that the account remains active and cancellation finishes; an unresolved record remains only to prevent the Game from silently using or recreating the old account.
We use the following service providers:
- Google Play Games Services for Android platform authentication;
- Google Mobile Ads and User Messaging Platform for optional rewarded ads, consent choices, advertising measurement, analytics, and fraud prevention;
- Firebase Crashlytics for Android crash, native, and ANR diagnostics;
- Sentry for unexpected backend error and panic diagnostics;
- TikTok for TikTok platform authentication and platform features;
- Tencent Cloud in Singapore and associated delivery locations for API hosting, databases, object storage, security, and content delivery;
- GitHub Pages for public website hosting; and
- ImprovMX for forwarding messages sent to our domain email addresses.
These providers may process data in countries outside your own. We use contractual and technical measures appropriate to the relevant service and applicable law. Public Game API traffic uses HTTPS.
5. Retention and deletion
- Account and gameplay data is kept while your Paw Encore account remains active. A confirmed in-app deletion removes or irreversibly anonymizes active account data immediately; a verified support request is completed within 30 days.
- An iOS account-deletion recovery record is kept only until the Game can safely confirm and finish deletion or safely cancel the request. If automatic recovery remains unresolved, the record stays protected and blocks use of the old account until support resolves the request.
- Encrypted database backups expire within 14 days after the corresponding active data is removed.
- API, security, and website delivery logs are retained for no longer than 30 days unless a longer period is required to investigate abuse, protect users, or comply with law.
- For Android Crashlytics, Firebase states that crash stack traces, extracted native minidump data, and associated installation identifiers are retained for 90 days before removal from live and backup systems begins.
- Backend Sentry error events are configured for no longer than 30 days, except where a specific event must be retained longer to investigate abuse, protect users, or comply with law.
- Support and privacy correspondence is normally retained for up to 24 months after the matter is closed.
- A minimal record of a completed request may be retained where necessary to demonstrate compliance or prevent fraud.
Deletion removes or irreversibly anonymizes Game data controlled by HIKOO STUDIO, subject to limited legal, security, and fraud-prevention exceptions. It does not delete any separate device, app-store, or third-party platform account.
6. Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to processing, to receive a portable copy, or to withdraw consent. You may also complain to your local data protection authority.
On iOS, use Settings → Delete account for the direct in-app flow. You can also use our account deletion page or contact hikooStudio@outlook.com if you cannot access the game. We may ask for proportionate information to verify that the account belongs to you.
On iOS, open Settings → Data & Privacy Choices at any time to enable or disable optional gameplay analytics. Disabling it stops Paw Encore from recording or forwarding new gameplay analytics after the setting is applied and clears unsent in-game analytics; events from the disabled period are not sent if you enable it again later. Required account, progress, API error handling, security, and deletion processing continues so the Game can provide and protect the service you request.
Where Google requires a privacy message, you may accept or decline the choices presented before ads are requested. On iOS, you can reopen required advertising privacy options from the Game's Settings; on Android, you may also reset or delete the Android advertising ID in device settings. Declining a required advertising choice may make rewarded ads and their optional rewards unavailable, but it does not delete your Paw Encore account.
7. Children's privacy
Paw Encore is intended for players aged 13 and older and is not directed to children under 13. Where the age of digital consent is higher, a parent or guardian must provide any consent required by local law. We do not knowingly collect personal information from a child contrary to applicable law. A parent or guardian may contact us to request review or deletion.
8. Security and changes
We use encrypted transport, access controls, server-side platform verification, backups, and monitoring appropriate to the service. No system is completely secure. Protect access to your platform account and device.
We may update this policy when the Game, providers, or legal requirements change. The effective date above identifies the current version. We will provide additional notice of material changes where required.
9. Contact
HIKOO STUDIO CO., LIMITED
Email: hikooStudio@outlook.com
Website: https://hikoogame.com/