Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what information Video Game Central ("we", "us", "the site") collects, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices and rights you have. We aim to be accurate about what the site actually does rather than generic.

1. Who we are

Video Game Central is operated by TPS Worldwide LLC, located in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, which is the data controller for this site. You can reach us at support@tpsworldwidellc.net for any privacy question or to exercise your rights.

2. Information we collect

We keep data collection to a minimum. We collect:

• Technical and usage data, automatically. Your IP address, approximate location derived from it (country level), browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen size, referring page, the pages you view, and the date and time of your visit.
• Cookie and consent data. Your cookie choices and a small set of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
• Saved items, on your device only. If you save games, reviews, or articles to your favorites, that list is stored in your browser's local storage on your device. It is never sent to us, is not tied to any account, and is not used to identify you. Clearing your browser data removes it.
• Comments. If you post a comment on a review or article, we store the display name you provide, your comment text, an optional email if you choose to give one (never shown publicly), and a hashed, truncated form of your IP address used only for moderation and anti-abuse. Comment text is screened by an automated moderation service and reviewed before it appears.
• Information you provide. If you email us or use a contact form, we receive your email address and whatever you choose to include.

We do not ask for or store names, postal addresses, or payment details. We do not run user accounts for the public site, and we do not knowingly build advertising profiles ourselves. Purchases happen entirely on third-party retailers, not here.

3. How your IP address is used

Because IP handling is often a concern, here is exactly how yours is used:

• Security and delivery. Our host, Cloudflare, processes your IP to serve pages, protect against attacks and abuse, and route traffic.
• Region-aware cookie consent. We read Cloudflare's country signal (derived from your IP) to decide whether to apply strict opt-in consent defaults, so visitors in regions that require opt-in are not tracked before they agree.
• Analytics and advertising, only if you allow them. When enabled and permitted by your consent, Google Analytics receives a truncated/anonymized IP, and Google AdSense may process your IP to serve ads. Neither loads until you allow the matching category.

4. Why we use your data, and our legal bases

• To run and secure the site (legal basis: our legitimate interest in operating a safe, working site).
• To understand traffic and improve content (legal basis: your consent, via analytics cookies).
• To show advertising (legal basis: your consent, via advertising cookies).
• To respond to messages you send us (legal basis: our legitimate interest and, where relevant, taking steps at your request).
• To meet legal obligations where they apply (legal basis: legal obligation).

5. Cookies and tracking

We use a small number of cookies grouped into three categories: strictly necessary, analytics, and advertising. Analytics and advertising are optional and do not load until you allow them. Full details, including the named cookies and how long they last, are in our Cookie Policy. You can change your choice at any time using the "Cookie preferences" link in the footer.

6. Third-party services

The site relies on the following providers. Each may process limited data as described:

• Cloudflare (hosting, CDN, security, R2 media storage, and scheduled Workers): processes your IP and request data to deliver and protect the site.
• Supabase (database and backend): stores our content (reviews, articles, games, deals) and submitted comments. While analytics is enabled for you, it also stores anonymous page view records (the page path, referring site, and country only, with no IP address and no cookies). It does not receive your browsing identity.
• OpenAI (comment moderation): when you submit a comment, its text is sent to OpenAI's moderation API to automatically screen for disallowed content. It is used only to classify that comment and is not used to identify you.
• Google Analytics 4 (analytics, optional): receives anonymized usage data only while the analytics category is enabled for you. Where opt-in consent is required it is off until you allow it; elsewhere it is on by default and you can turn it off at any time.
• Google AdSense (advertising, optional): may set cookies and process data to show and measure ads only while the advertising category is enabled for you, under the same regional defaults as analytics.
• RAWG (video game database): supplies game metadata and imagery we display editorially.
• CheapShark, IsThereAnyDeal, Epic Games Store, and Reddit r/GameDeals: supply game deal and pricing data that we display and link out to.
• Amazon Associates (and other affiliate programs we may join): outbound shopping links may carry an affiliate tag. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
• YouTube (Google): embedded videos, where present, are loaded from YouTube and may set their own cookies when you play them.
• Google Fonts: fonts are loaded from Google's font CDN to render the site.

These providers act as independent controllers or our processors depending on the service. Their own privacy policies govern data they collect directly.

7. Advertising and analytics choices

When advertising is enabled, Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other sites. You can opt out of personalized advertising through Google Ads Settings and aboutads.info. For analytics, you can decline analytics cookies in our banner, and Google offers a browser opt-out add-on.

8. Affiliate links

Some outbound links, including game and hardware deals, are affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you, and this never affects our scores or editorial content. See the Affiliate Disclosure.

9. Embedded and third-party content

Game cover art, screenshots, and trailers belong to their publishers and are shown editorially under fair use. Embedded YouTube videos load from YouTube and are subject to Google's privacy terms once you interact with them.

10. Data retention

We retain your cookie choice on your device until you change or clear it. Server and security logs held by Cloudflare are kept for a limited period per their policies. Analytics data, when enabled, is retained per the retention window configured in Google Analytics. Emails you send us are kept only as long as needed to handle your request.

11. Data security

All traffic uses HTTPS encryption. We follow reasonable technical and organizational measures, do not store payment data, and limit administrative access. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your information.

12. International data transfers

We are based in the United States, and our providers may process data in the US and other countries. Where data is transferred out of the EEA or UK, the providers rely on appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses.

13. Your rights in the EEA and UK (GDPR)

If you are in the EEA or UK, you have the right to:

• access the personal data we hold about you;
• have inaccurate data corrected (rectification);
• have your data erased ("right to be forgotten");
• restrict how we process your data;
• receive your data in a portable format;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• withdraw consent at any time (for analytics and advertising); and
• lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

To exercise any of these, email support@tpsworldwidellc.net.

14. Your rights in California (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• know what personal information we collect and how it is used;
• request deletion of your personal information;
• correct inaccurate personal information;
• opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information; and
• not be discriminated against for exercising these rights.

We do not sell your personal information for money. Some advertising cookies may count as "sharing" under California law; declining advertising cookies in our banner opts you out. To make a request, email support@tpsworldwidellc.net.

15. Children's privacy

This site is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA/UK), and we do not knowingly collect their data. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the site evolves. We will revise the "Last updated" date above and, for material changes, provide clearer notice. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated policy.

17. Contact

Questions or requests: support@tpsworldwidellc.net. Video Game Central is a property of TPS Worldwide LLC, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.