SideloadDownload the alpha

Privacy

Last updated 2026-09-12.

Sideload does not require a player account. The installed launcher automatically sends usage analytics about launcher and game-container activity. Your local Library and game saves stay on your Mac; usage events are described below.

What stays on your machine

Bookmarks, local play history and accumulated playtime are stored in the launcher’s local application data. Game saves stay in the game’s local storage. Sideload does not upload these files or synchronize your Library to another machine.

The launcher separately sends usage events such as a published game starting or ending and the session duration. Keeping a local playtime record does not mean that no usage event is sent. A game can make its own network requests when permitted by its declared network access; its developer is responsible for explaining its own collection.

What our servers see

Catalog and game delivery use these hosts. Each receives ordinary web requests, including an IP address, time, and requested resource:

The launcher also checks whether a newer version of itself has been released, which reaches the service hosting that release.

A game with network access declared in its listing makes its own requests, to whoever its developer chose. Those are the developer’s business, not Sideload’s.

Analytics

Sideload uses Google Analytics 4 to see which parts of the product get used and which get abandoned, so the next thing built is the thing people reach for. It answers what happens in the product, not who you are.

The installed launcher sends events about opening the launcher, starting/pausing/resuming/ending a game, session duration, launch cancellation or failure, controller connection changes, pointer mode, and launcher update activity. Published game events can include the game ID, title, and the launcher surface used to start it. It does not inspect a game’s document, collect in-game actions or content, or include raw search queries or local folder paths in these events. Development builds do not send launcher analytics.

The launcher stores a random installation identifier in its local application data and sends it with events so returning use can be counted. This identifier is not a player account and is not linked to a developer account. It remains in local application data across launcher restarts. The launcher’s analytics browser session is temporary; its browser cookies do not persist after that session ends. Pending events are held in a bounded memory queue rather than a durable activity log, and failed sends are discarded.

On the website, measurement covers pages opened and links followed using the site’s own identifier. Google receives the analytics identifier and network/device information associated with the request, including your IP address, and may derive approximate location and device information. Google processes and retains analytics data under the applicable Google Analytics service settings and terms. Sideload does not claim that these events are fully anonymous merely because they are not linked to an account.

Usage analytics is automatic in this launcher release. There is no in-app analytics opt-out control. Settings provides an informational disclosure and a link to this policy.

What will not happen: selling your data to anyone.

Developers

If you publish a game, Sideload holds what your developer record needs: your email address, your handle, your display name, the website and X handle you chose to show on your listings, a hash of your invite token, which version of the developer agreement you accepted, and when the record was made. The token itself is never stored.

Contact

Questions, or a request to delete what little exists: master@drnkn.dev.