Privacy Policy - Aetherium Studios

Introduction: Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Welcome to Aetherium Studios. We are dedicated to creating immersive and emotionally resonant gaming experiences. Central to this mission is our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy outlines precisely how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you interact with our website, services, and games. We understand that the privacy of your data is of utmost importance, and we strive to be transparent and responsible in all our data handling practices. This policy is designed to comply with stringent data protection regulations, including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable regional laws. We encourage you to read this document carefully to understand our practices and your rights concerning your personal information.

At Aetherium Studios, we believe that your data belongs to you. We collect only the information necessary to provide and improve our services, and we use it solely for the purposes detailed herein. Our team, led by our Data Protection Officer, Dr. Elara Vance, is committed to maintaining the highest standards of data security and privacy. Our studio is located in the vibrant city of Neo-Veridia, a hub for technological innovation, at 5 Adams St, Somerville, MA 02145, USA.

Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to enhance your experience and ensure the smooth operation of our services. This collection is categorized as follows:

Personal Data You Provide Directly

This category includes information you voluntarily provide to us through various touchpoints:

Account Registration: When you create an account for our games or services, we may collect your username, email address, password, and date of birth. This is essential for account management, security, and age verification.
Contact and Support Inquiries: If you reach out to our customer support team via email, phone, or our website’s contact form, we will collect your name, email address, and any other information you provide to help us address your query effectively.
Newsletter Subscriptions: If you opt-in to receive our newsletter, we will collect your email address. This allows us to send you updates on game development, new releases, and studio news.
Participation in Beta Tests or Surveys: When you participate in beta programs or surveys, you may be asked to provide feedback, bug reports, or demographic information.
Community Forums and Social Features: If you engage with our community forums or other social features within our games, information you post or share may be collected.

Data Collected Automatically

Certain technical information is collected automatically as you interact with our website and services:

Usage Data: We collect data on how you use our website and games, including features accessed, time spent, errors encountered, and gameplay statistics. This helps us understand user behavior and improve our offerings.
Device and Technical Information: This may include your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, and mobile network information. This data is crucial for diagnostics, security, and optimizing performance across different devices.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Like many websites, we use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, remember your preferences, and gather analytics. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or our dedicated Cookie Policy page.

Data from Third Parties

In certain circumstances, we may receive information about you from third parties:

Social Media Integration: If you choose to link your social media accounts to our services, we may receive information from those platforms as permitted by your privacy settings.
Platform Providers: When you access our games through platforms like Steam, PlayStation Network, or Xbox Live, we may receive non-personal information related to your engagement with our games as provided by these platforms.

Purpose of Data Usage

Aetherium Studios utilizes the information we collect for a variety of essential purposes:

To Provide and Maintain Our Services: This is our primary purpose. We use your data to operate our games, manage your accounts, provide customer support, and ensure the stable functioning of our website and services.
To Improve and Develop Our Games: Analyzing usage data and player feedback allows us to identify areas for improvement, fix bugs, and develop new features and content that align with player interests. This includes understanding player progression, engagement patterns, and popular game mechanics.
To Communicate with You: We use your contact information to respond to inquiries, provide important service announcements, send newsletters (if you’ve opted-in), and inform you about updates, promotions, and new games.
For Security and Fraud Prevention: Your data helps us protect our users and services from fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access. This includes verifying your identity and monitoring for suspicious activity.
To Personalize Your Experience: Where appropriate, we may use your data to tailor content, recommendations, and offers to your preferences, making your interaction with our services more relevant and enjoyable.
For Legal and Regulatory Compliance: We may process your data to comply with legal obligations, enforce our terms of service, and respond to lawful requests from authorities.

Aetherium Studios is committed to protecting your privacy. We do not sell your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your data in specific, limited circumstances:

With Trusted Third-Party Service Providers

We may engage third-party companies and individuals to perform services on our behalf, such as:

Hosting and data storage providers
Customer support and communication platforms
Analytics and performance monitoring services
Payment processing for any potential in-game purchases
Marketing and advertising partners (for anonymized or aggregated data insights only)

These providers are bound by strict confidentiality agreements and are only permitted to use your data as necessary to perform services for us. They are prohibited from using your personal information for their own marketing purposes.

For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law, or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to:

Comply with a legal obligation, such as a subpoena or court order.
Protect and defend the rights or property of Aetherium Studios.
Act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of our users or the public.

In the Event of a Business Transfer

If Aetherium Studios is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our website of any such change in ownership or control of your personal data.

Anonymized or Aggregated Data

We may share anonymized or aggregated data with partners or for research purposes. This data does not identify you personally and is used to understand industry trends or to inform product development.

Your Rights and Choices

We believe in empowering you with control over your personal data. Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have the following rights:

Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): You may request that we delete your personal information under certain conditions.
Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit the way we use your personal information.
Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit it to another controller.
Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes, or when processing is based on legitimate interests.
Right to Withdraw Consent: If we have processed your data based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within the legally mandated timeframe, usually within one month. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

Security Measures

Aetherium Studios implements robust security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

Encryption: We use industry-standard encryption protocols (SSL/TLS) to secure data transmitted between your device and our servers.
Access Controls: Access to your personal information is restricted to employees and third-party service providers who need to know this information to operate, develop, or improve our services.
Regular Security Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Data Minimization: We only collect and retain personal data that is necessary for the stated purposes.

While we take every reasonable precaution to protect your personal data, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is entirely secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or a higher age threshold as may be required by local law). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided us with personal information should contact us immediately.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or industry best practices. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any updates.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, our data handling practices, or wish to exercise your rights, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Aetherium Studios
5 Adams St, Somerville, MA 02145, USA Phone: +18889702242
Email: privacy@eat-iumstudios.com

For inquiries regarding your data or to exercise your rights, please address your correspondence to our Data Protection Officer, Dr. Elara Vance.

Last Updated: October 26, 2025