Privacy Policy | BestOfGames

Your Privacy Matters

At BestOfGames, we value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website. By using our website, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us:

Newsletter subscription: Your email address when you sign up for our weekly game recommendations
Push notifications: Your browser subscription endpoint when you enable price alerts
Contact inquiries: Any information you provide when contacting us

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically:

Usage data: Pages visited, time spent, click patterns, and navigation paths
Device information: Browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and device type
IP address: Used to derive approximate geographic location (country/region level)
Referral source: How you found our website

Local Storage Data

We store certain preferences locally in your browser:

Wishlist: Game IDs you've added to your wishlist are stored in your browser's localStorage
Theme preferences: Your dark/light mode preference
Language preference: Your selected language (English or German)

This data never leaves your device and is not transmitted to our servers.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our service, including game reviews and recommendations
To send you our newsletter with weekly indie game picks (with your consent)
To send price drop alerts for games on your wishlist (with your consent)
To analyze website usage and improve our content and user experience
To detect and prevent technical issues or abuse

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience. Our website uses the following types of cookies:

Essential Cookies

Required for basic website functionality, such as remembering your language preference.

Analytics Cookies

We use self-hosted Umami analytics (privacy-focused, GDPR-compliant) and Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors interact with our website. These cookies help us measure traffic patterns and improve our content.

Umami: Privacy-focused analytics that does not use cookies and does not track personal data
Google Analytics 4: Collects anonymized usage data to help us understand user behavior

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that blocking certain cookies may affect website functionality.

4. Third-Party Services

We integrate with the following third-party services:

Google Analytics: Analytics service to understand user behavior. View Google's privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy
Steam: We link to Steam for game purchases and use Steam's API to display game pricing. Steam has its own privacy policy at https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/
G2A: We may provide links to G2A for game key purchases. G2A has its own privacy policy.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

With analytics providers: Usage data to help us improve our services
For legal requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental authority
Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:

Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe
Push notification subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe or revoke browser permissions
Analytics data: Aggregated data is retained indefinitely; individual session data is retained for up to 12 months
Server logs: Retained for up to 30 days for security and debugging purposes

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

For All Users

Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link in any email
Disable push notifications through your browser settings
Clear your wishlist by removing items or clearing your browser's localStorage

For EU/EEA Residents (GDPR)

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of your personal data
Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
Restriction: Request limitation of processing
Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
Withdraw consent: Withdraw previously given consent at any time

For California Residents (CCPA)

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to:

Know what personal information is collected about you
Know whether your personal information is sold or disclosed
Say no to the sale of personal information
Access your personal information
Request deletion of your personal information
Equal service and price, even if you exercise your privacy rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will promptly delete that information.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. When we transfer your data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal data, or would like to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@bestofgames.net

We aim to respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days.