Who we are
Germline is made by EndlessDevs ("we", "us"), an independent developer based in the UK. We are the data controller for the personal data described here. Contact us at support@endlessdevs.co.uk.
What we collect
- Steam account ID, when you use online features: ranked play, leaderboards, PvP, co-op, friend challenges, Showcase sharing and the Helix shop. Steam handles sign-in, so we never see your Steam password.
- Online game data: progress, rankings, match results, the Showcase content you publish, and records of in-game purchases needed to deliver what you bought.
- Steam friend information, to check that friend-only features, such as sharing with a friend, go to a real Steam friend.
- Crash reports, if the game crashes: the game version, error details and a random install identifier. Crash reports are not linked to your Steam account.
- Feedback: what you write in a feedback or bug report, plus an email address only if you choose to give one for a reply.
- IP address, used briefly in memory to limit abuse (rate limiting). We do not store it.
Offline play does not send personal data to us.
Why we use it
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Providing the online features you use, and delivering purchases | Performance of a contract |
| Fixing crashes, preventing cheating and abuse, keeping the service secure | Legitimate interests |
| Replying to feedback when you give an email address | Consent, which you can withdraw at any time |
How long we keep it
| Data | Kept for |
|---|---|
| Online account data | Until you delete your online account, or we close the online service |
| Crash reports | 90 days |
| Feedback | As long as needed to deal with it. Email us to have it removed sooner. |
| IP address | Not stored |
Who we share it with
- Valve (Steam), for sign-in, friends and payments. Steam's privacy policy applies to that data.
- Our hosting provider, which stores data on our behalf under a data processing agreement.
- Other players, who can see your rankings and anything you publish to Showcase.
We do not sell your data, use it for advertising, or share it with anyone else unless the law requires it. If data is stored outside the UK, we use appropriate safeguards such as adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask us to access, correct, delete or export your data, or to object to or restrict how we use it.
To delete your online account and its data, email support@endlessdevs.co.uk with your Steam profile link so we can find your account. We will reply within one month.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
Children
The online features are not intended for children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal data, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes
If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top and, for significant changes, tell you in the game or on Steam.