Privacy Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how Northcrest Entertainment ("Northcrest," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you visit this website, contact us, or play Blackridge, our game built in Unreal Engine 5 that uses Epic Online Services.

Some of the information described below is collected on our behalf by the platforms we build on — principally Epic Games — rather than by servers we operate ourselves. We've tried to be specific below about which is which.

2. What information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Website usage data — standard technical information such as browser type, device type, general region (derived from IP address), and pages visited, collected automatically when you browse this site.
• Contact information — your name and email address if you email us or reach out for support.
• Account & gameplay data — if you link an Epic Games account to play Blackridge, we receive a limited profile (such as your Epic account ID and display name) and gameplay information (such as progress, achievements, and in-game preferences) needed to run the game.
• Communications — records of support requests, bug reports, or other correspondence you send us.

We do not collect payment card details directly — purchases made through the Epic Games Store are processed entirely by Epic, under Epic's own privacy and payment terms.

3. Why we collect it

We only collect information that serves a specific, practical purpose:

• Website usage data helps us understand whether the site works properly and where visitors run into problems.
• Contact information lets us reply to your questions or support requests.
• Account and gameplay data is what makes features like account linking, saved progress, achievements, and friends lists possible in the first place — the game literally cannot provide these features without it.
• Communications are kept so we have a record if a support issue needs to be revisited.

We do not collect data for advertising, profiling, or resale purposes.

4. How we use it

We use the information above to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve Blackridge and this website;
• Provide account linking, save data, achievements, and social features through Epic Online Services;
• Respond to support requests and communicate important updates;
• Diagnose technical issues and keep our services secure;
• Understand aggregate usage trends so we can prioritize what to build next.

We do not sell personal information, and we do not use gameplay data to build advertising profiles.

5. Where it's stored

Website contact and support correspondence is stored using standard, reputable cloud email and hosting infrastructure. Account and gameplay data linked to your Epic account is stored and processed by Epic Games' own Epic Online Services infrastructure, not on servers we operate ourselves — Northcrest does not run separate player-data servers of its own. Because our tools are provided by global platforms, data may be stored or processed in countries other than your own; where required, we and our providers rely on appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) for these transfers.

6. How long we keep it

We keep website contact and support correspondence for as long as needed to resolve your request and for a reasonable period afterward for record-keeping, then delete it. Gameplay data tied to your Epic account is retained for as long as your account remains linked to Blackridge, or as required to operate features like save data and achievements; it is removed if you unlink your account or request deletion. You can request deletion at any time — see Section 8.

7. Sharing with Epic Online Services

Blackridge is distributed through the Epic Games Store and uses Epic Online Services (EOS) for functionality such as account login, friends lists, achievements, and cross-session saves. When you use these features, Epic Games, Inc. acts as an independent controller of the account data involved, in accordance with Epic's own privacy policy.

Beyond Epic, we share information only: with service providers who help us operate basic infrastructure (such as hosting or email delivery), under agreements limiting their use of your data to providing that service; if required to comply with applicable law or protect the rights and safety of Northcrest, our players, or others; or as part of a business transfer such as a merger, in which case we would notify you of any material change. We do not sell personal information to third parties. We encourage you to review Epic Games' Privacy Policy to understand how Epic itself handles your account data.

8. Your rights (GDPR & more)

Depending on where you live, you may have rights under data protection laws such as the GDPR (EEA/UK) or the CCPA (California), including the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction or deletion of that information;
• Object to, or request restriction of, certain processing;
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format;
• Withdraw consent, where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at northcrestinteractive@gmail.com. For data held directly by Epic Games as part of your Epic account, you'll need to contact Epic directly, as we don't have the ability to alter Epic's own account records.

9. Children's privacy

Our website and Blackridge are not directed at children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your region), and we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children. Where the game is accessible to a broader age range through the Epic Games Store, account creation, parental controls, and any age-related data protections are managed by Epic Games under its own child-privacy safeguards. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information directly, contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the information we hold, and we rely on Epic Games' security practices for data processed through Epic Online Services and the Epic Games Store. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we can't guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as Blackridge and our services evolve. If we make material changes, we'll update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, provide additional notice.

12. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Reach us at northcrestinteractive@gmail.com.