Support & FAQ

Nope! You can play the full game as a guest — no account, no email, no sign-up required. We automatically generate a random display name for you (like "ManhattanRaccoon77"). An account is only needed if you want to back up your progress or restore it on a new device.

Walk around Manhattan with the app open. Common buddies (like Pidgey Pete and Sub-Sam) spawn near your location throughout the day. Uncommon buddies appear a few times daily, while rare buddies are tied to specific NYC landmarks — try heading to Times Square for Broadway Bea, or Battery Park for Liberty Lou. Legendary buddies are time-limited: Skyler only appears at golden hour, and Conductor shows up at express subway hubs during rush hour.

Location-based apps do use more battery than average. We've optimized GPS usage so it only polls when you're actively moving, but we recommend having a portable charger on longer hunts. Low Power Mode on iOS and Battery Saver on Android will reduce background activity.

At launch, buddy spawns and landmark events are concentrated in Manhattan. You can open the app anywhere, but you'll find the densest buddy activity in Manhattan. We plan to expand to Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island in future updates — stay tuned!

Guest progress is tied to your device. If you upgrade to a full account before switching phones, your XP and Buddy Book will be saved to the cloud and restored when you sign in on your new device. If you were playing as a guest, progress cannot be transferred to a new device — this is by design to protect user privacy.

You can request account deletion by emailing buroughbuddies@gmail.com from the address associated with your account. We'll complete the deletion within 30 days. Guest accounts with no activity for 12 months are deleted automatically.

Use the "Forgot password?" link on the sign-in screen to receive a reset link by email. If you signed up with Apple or Google, use the "Continue with Apple / Google" button — those accounts don't have a Borough Buddies password. Still stuck? Email buroughbuddies@gmail.com.

Yes — this was a core design goal. In the default guest mode, we collect zero personal information from anyone, regardless of age. There is no chat, no messaging, no way for strangers to contact your child through the app. No ads. No in-app purchases. We comply with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act). See our Privacy Policy for full details.

When a child indicates they're under 13 during account creation, we ask for a parent's email address (not the child's). We send you an email explaining exactly what will be stored on the account — it's minimal: a random display name, total XP, and which borough each buddy was caught in. No names, no precise locations, no photos. You click "Grant Consent" and the account is activated. You can revoke consent or request data deletion at any time by emailing buroughbuddies@gmail.com.

No. Borough Buddies is completely free with no in-app purchases, no paid buddies, no premium subscription, and no ads. The full game experience is available to everyone at no cost.

Try these steps: (1) Make sure location permissions are set to "While Using" or "Always" in your device settings. (2) Check that you have an internet connection. (3) Try walking a short distance — buddies spawn based on movement. (4) Force-quit and reopen the app. If the problem persists, email us with your device model and OS version.

First, check the App Store / Google Play for any pending updates. If you're on the latest version and the crash repeats, please email buroughbuddies@gmail.com with: your device model, OS version, app version, and a brief description of what you were doing when it crashed.

Leaderboards refresh periodically — not in real time. Pull down to refresh the leaderboard screen. If your rank still seems off after a few minutes, email us with your display name and we'll look into it.