January 24, 2022
Mad Otter Games and its affiliate companies (collectively “Mad Otter”) respect the privacy of our customers, on-line visitors, and users of our websites and games. We recognize the importance of providing a secure environment for them. This Privacy Policy describes the personal information that is collected and the manner in which it is used.
Scope
Mad Otter is a company that operates worldwide. This Privacy Policy applies to all websites and games offered by Mad Otter, including but not limited to Villagers & Heroes™, and the domains MadOtterGames.com, Villagers-And-Heroes.com and VillagersandHeroes.com.
Please note that Mad Otter websites and games may contain links to other websites operated by third-party providers. By clicking on these links, you are leaving Mad Otter’s site and accessing third party websites or pages. When you link to other sites from a Mad Otter website, this Privacy Policy does not apply to, and cannot control the activities on, those other websites.
Information We Collect
As a visitor to any of our websites or a user of any of our games, there are several types of information that we collect in order to provide an enriched and functional experience for our users.
1) User-Submitted Personal Information
When registering an account with Mad Otter or for one of Mad Otter’s games, you provide to us personal information. This includes your email address and a password. Throughout your experience on this website and by participation on our forums and in our games, you may continue to submit or upload personal information.
2) Log Files and Analytics
The servers on which Mad Otter’s games and websites reside contain automated processes that collect information sent from users and users’ computers and devices. This information may include, but is not limited to, user communications, browser type, computer system information, pages viewed, referring sites, and Internet Protocol (“IP”) addresses. We also track and record user-actions, for example, when a user starts playing a game, when a user stops playing, what actions a user takes during a play session, etc. These are examples only, and there are many other user actions that we track and record.
3) Cookies
Mad Otter websites set cookies. These are parcels of text sent to and from the web server and stored on the user’s machine to identify the unique user. They are used for authentication and analytics purposes. Upon closing your browser, a persistent cookie will remain on your machine, storing data related to your login information if you voluntarily choose to have it do such. The site also sets a session cookie, used during a visit to this website. Upon closing your browser, this session cookie will be destroyed. This site is accessible with cookies disabled; however some features of the site may not work properly if you disable cookies.
4) Communications
On Mad Otter’s websites and in Mad Otter’s games, we provide various means through which you may communicate with others, post opinions, express yourself, and communicate with other users and with Mad Otter and our partners. These means include, but are not limited to: articles, forums, in-game “Chat” and “Mail”, voluntary surveys, and Bug Reports. These communications are archived on our servers in log files.
5) Credit Reports
Mad Otter reserves the right to obtain information about credit ratings on the basis of mathematical-statistical processes (score value) from credit agencies. The credit agencies store the information and transfer them to Mad Otter in order to give Mad Otter information for the assessment of the creditworthiness of natural persons. The contractual partners of the credit agencies are mainly credit institutes, credit card and leasing companies. In addition, the credit agencies provide information to retail, telecommunications and other companies that supply goods and services on credit. The credit agencies only make personal information available in individual cases if a legitimate interest in them can be credibly demonstrated. The credit agencies release details of addresses to identify debtors. In providing information, the credit agencies may also give their contractual partners a probability value calculated from their information bases for the assessment of the credit risk (scoring process).
How We Use this Information
Mad Otter uses the information it collects to improve its products and services. In some cases, this is to provide a better and more satisfying experience for our users, and in other cases to help our business function more efficiently and effectively.
Mad Otter uses the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Finding bugs
- System integrity (the prevention of hacking, cheats, “bots” (automated processes on a user’s computer that allows the user to gain an advantage over other users), etc.)
- Determining what users like, don’t like, and how much so that we can improve our product so that more users continue to play, and play more often
- Determining what services and virtual goods users like so that we can improve our revenue
- To improve our products and services
- (in the case of credit ratings and credit reports) To determine the creditworthiness of its users
Mad Otter does not collect any information that provides details of racial or ethnic background, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership in trade unions, health, or sexuality unless the users reveal these voluntarily in their communications with Mad Otter.
Statistical information is only matched with users’ personal information if this is necessary to prevent or expose infringements of the law and breaches of contract. Should Mad Otter establish that a user has breached his or her contractual obligations, Mad Otter explicitly reserves the right to match the IP address of the user concerned with other information that Mad Otter holds about this user, in order to bring this breach to the user’s attention. Otherwise the information shall only be evaluated anonymously.
When Your Information Is Disclosed
When you post on our websites, in our forums, send mail to other users, and use chat within our games, you should be aware that your communications are visible to other users. Mad Otter recommends that users consider carefully what they put in their communications and to whom they are sent.
User Communications on Mad Otter websites and games are not monitored at all times by Mad Otter, therefore we are not responsible for all the communications from users. Nevertheless, Mad Otter reserves the right to delete entries at its own discretion and to exclude users from further use, in particular if entries constitute criminal offenses or are incompatible with the aims of Mad Otter.
Mad Otter websites use Google™ Analytics, a web analysis service of Google™. Google™ Analytics uses so-called “cookies”, text files which are saved on your computer and which make an analysis of your use of the website possible. The information on your use of the website produced by the cookies (including your IP address) are communicated to a Google™ server in the USA and saved there. Google™ will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to assemble reports on the website activity for the website operators and to provide further services connected to the use of the website and the internet. Additionally, where required, Google™ will pass on this information to third parties if it is statutory or in case third parties process this information by order of Google™. Not on any account will Google™ connect your IP address to other Google™ information. You can avoid the installation of cookies through settings in your browser software; however, we point out that in this case, you might not be able to use all the website’s features in its entirety. Using this website, you automatically comply with the processing of the information collected by Google™ in the above described manner as well as its purpose.
Neonga AG, a company based in Berlin, Germany is a business partner of Mad Otter. Neonga assists Mad Otter with some of Mad Otter’s websites and its game Villagers & Heroes™. Mad Otter may share any or all of its user information with Neonga. Neonga in turn will abide by all of the terms of this Privacy Policy in the same manner as Mad Otter.
Mad Otter may disclose your personal information to a third party if we decide to sell a line of business to that third party, so you can continue to receive service and information in connection with that line of business with as little disruption as possible. Similarly, in the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or other similar event, your personal information may be transferred to Mad Otter’s successor or assign.
Your email address will not be disclosed nor used for any third-party commercial or marketing campaigns without provided consent from individuals registering an account under that corresponding email address.
We may release personal information in the good faith belief that doing such is necessary in order to comply with local, state, and federal laws, to enforce our Terms of Service, to take precaution against third party accusations or allegations concerning liability, and to ensure the safety of Mad Otter websites and games or any of its users.
In addition, Mad Otter may reveal information to verify, prevent or initiate appropriate countermeasures against illegal activities or suspicion of fraud or to assert or apply Mad Otter’s contractual and license rights.
How to delete your game account
To delete your game account for Villagers & Heroes, go to this link: https://villagersandheroes.com/support/. Select the Category to “Account Issues”, and the secondary category to “Delete my account”. Fill in the details for the form, and press the Submit button at the bottom. You will be contacted by Mad Otter to confirm your request. It will take up to 7 days before your account is deleted. This time is needed by Mad Otter to confirm that you are indeed the actual account holder before we delete your game account. Account deletion will result in your personal information being deleted from Mad Otter’s records. Please be aware that Account deletion is permanent, and cannot be recovered.
Important Additional Information
By using a Mad Otter website or one of Mad Otter’s games, you signify your assent to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy, please do not use this site or play one of our games. This Privacy Policy may change from time to time. We encourage you to periodically check back and review this policy so that you always know our current privacy practices. If we make a material change to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by posting the change on this website or in this Privacy Policy and, if necessary, give you additional choices regarding such change. Your continued use of a Mad Otter website or one of our games will signify your acceptance of these changes.