Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 13, 2026

Level Up Legacy (“we”, “us”) is an independent gaming news, reviews and podcast site run by Retro Brandon, AvengerMags and Slam Zany. This policy explains what information we collect when you visit leveluplegacymedia.com (the “Site”), why we collect it, who can see it, and the choices you have. By using the Site you agree to this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

1. Information we collect

Information you give us

  • Account details. When you create an account we collect a username, an email address and a password. Your password is stored in scrambled (hashed) form, so we cannot read it.
  • Profile details. You choose a display name, and you may add a short bio and a profile picture.
  • Comments. When you comment, we collect what you write along with your name and email address. Your name and comment are shown publicly. Your email address is not.
  • Messages to us. If you contact us, we keep what you send so we can reply.

Information the Site records about your activity

  • Levels, XP and badges. If you have an account, we record the activities that earn XP (such as signing up, reading articles, commenting, adding a bio or picture, and visiting on consecutive days), together with your XP total, level, streak, rank and chosen badge.
  • Login sessions. We use cookies to keep you logged in (see Section 5).

Information collected automatically

  • Server logs. Like almost every website, the servers that deliver the Site record your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you request, and the page that sent you here. We use this to run and secure the Site and to understand overall readership.
  • Security and rate limiting. To stop spam and repeated sign-up or login attempts, we briefly store a scrambled form of your IP address together with an attempt counter.

The Site itself does not run advertising trackers or third-party analytics services, and it does not use Gravatar. We may use spam-filtering tools, which can check comment content, names, email addresses and IP addresses.

2. What other people can see

Anyone, including visitors without an account, can see these parts of your account: your display name, profile picture, bio, level, XP total, rank, the month you joined, your chosen badge and the badges you have unlocked. Your comments and your place on the leaderboard are public too. We never show your email address or username on public pages. Because this information is public, please do not put anything personal or sensitive in your display name or bio. We ask search engines not to index member profile pages, but we cannot control what other people copy or save.

Administrator accounts are not shown on the leaderboard.

3. How we use information

  • To create and run your account, levels, badges and the leaderboard
  • To display your comments and profile
  • To moderate comments, prevent spam and abuse, and keep the Site secure
  • To reply to your messages
  • To send account emails you need, such as a password reset
  • To understand how the Site is used and to improve it
  • To meet our legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for advertising. We do not send marketing email.

4. Who we share information with

We share information only with the service providers that help us run the Site (such as our web hosting provider and email delivery), who may use it only to provide their service to us, and when the law requires it or when needed to protect the Site, our members or others from fraud, abuse or harm. If the Site is ever sold or merged, member information may transfer to the new owner, who must honor this policy.

5. Cookies

Cookies are small files your browser stores. We use:

  • Essential cookies that log you in, keep you logged in and protect forms from forgery.
  • Comment cookies that WordPress can set so your name and email are filled in next time you comment. You can untick that option on the comment form.
  • Third-party cookies that may be set by embedded players and outside links (see Section 6).

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. If you block essential cookies you will not be able to log in.

6. Third-party services and links

  • Merchandise (Fourthwall). Our shop is run on the Fourthwall platform at shop.leveluplegacymedia.com. Fourthwall handles everything about shopping there, including your orders, payments, shipping details and the cookies set in the shop. Their privacy policy governs that information, and we do not receive your payment details.
  • Embedded players and podcast platforms. Some pages include players or links from services such as YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. When you play or open them, those services may collect your IP address and device information and set their own cookies, under their own privacy policies.
  • Other links. Links to other sites, such as social media, game publishers and stores, open in a new tab. Those sites have their own policies and we are not responsible for them.

7. Affiliate links

Some links on the Site are affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links never change our opinions or scores. When you click an affiliate link, the store may set cookies to track the referral, and its own privacy policy applies from that point.

The Site currently shows no advertising. If we ever add advertising or sponsored content, we will update this policy first and clearly label that content. Sponsored content will never be presented as an independent review.

8. How long we keep information

  • Account information is kept while your account is open. If you ask us to delete your account, we delete or anonymize your profile, bio, picture, email address and XP history within 30 days.
  • Comments stay on the Site until removed. On request, we will delete your comment or remove your name from it.
  • Server logs and security data are kept by our hosting provider for a limited time under its own schedule, then deleted.
  • Messages to us are kept for as long as we need them to deal with your request.
  • We may keep limited records longer where the law requires, or to deal with abuse or disputes.

9. Security

We use HTTPS, store passwords in hashed form, protect forms against forgery and limit repeated login attempts. No website is perfectly secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. Please choose a strong password that you do not use anywhere else. If a breach affects your information, we will notify you and the authorities as the law requires.

10. Your choices and rights

Wherever you live, you can contact us to see, correct, download or delete the personal information we hold about you, or to close your account. You can also change your display name, bio and picture yourself on your Account page.

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights:

  • European Economic Area and United Kingdom. You can ask for access, correction, deletion, restriction or portability of your data, object to certain processing, and withdraw consent where we rely on it. You can also complain to your local data protection authority. We process information to provide the services you ask for (accounts and comments), for our legitimate interests (security, spam prevention and understanding readership), with your consent where required, and to meet legal obligations.
  • California and other US states with privacy laws. You can ask what personal information we collect, use and disclose, and ask us to correct or delete it. We do not sell or “share” personal information as those laws define the terms, and we will not treat you differently for using your rights. We respond within the time the law requires, usually 45 days.
  • International transfers. Our service providers may process information in the United States or other countries. Where the law requires it, we rely on appropriate safeguards.

To make a request, use the Contact Us page and tell us what you need and the email address or username on your account. We may ask you to confirm it is really you before we act.

11. Children

The Site is written for a general audience, but accounts and comments are not for anyone under 13 (or under 16 where local law sets that higher age). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below that age. If you believe a child has given us information, contact us and we will delete it.

12. Content you post

You keep ownership of your comments and profile content. By posting, you give us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free permission to display and store it on the Site, and to edit or remove it if it breaks our rules. Please do not post anything illegal, harassing or hateful, or anything that belongs to someone else. We may remove content or close accounts that do.

13. Copyright and game media

Our articles, reviews, podcast episodes, graphics and site design belong to Level Up Legacy and its authors. You may quote short excerpts with credit and a link, but please ask before republishing anything in full. Screenshots, key art, trailers and logos shown on the Site belong to their publishers and developers and are used for news, criticism, commentary and review. If you are a rights holder with a concern, contact us and we will respond promptly.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will change the date at the top, and for significant changes we will post a notice on the Site. Using the Site after a change means you accept the updated policy.

15. Contact us

Questions about this policy, requests about your information and copyright concerns all go through our Contact Us page.