Terms of Service

1. Eligibility

• You must be old enough to form a binding contract where you live. The Game is not directed to children under 13, and you may not use it if you are under 13.
• Any feature involving a crypto wallet, $POKE, real-value wagering, or prizes is restricted to users who are at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction) and who are legally permitted to use such features where they live.
• You are responsible for ensuring your use of the Game is legal in your jurisdiction. Features are void where prohibited.

2. The Game

PokeShards is an experimental multiplayer browser game in which you explore a world, catch creatures (“Shards”), level them, and optionally duel, raid, and trade with other players. The Game may optionally connect to the Solana blockchain and a self-custody wallet (e.g., Phantom). The Game is provided on a free-to-play basis; some optional features involve crypto assets. We may add, change, or remove features at any time.

3. Accounts, wallets & security

• You can play as a guest (identified by a random per-browser ID) or by connecting a self-custody wallet.
• You are solely responsible for your wallet, private keys, seed phrase, and all activity that occurs through them. We never hold your keys and can never recover them. Do not share them with anyone.
• You are responsible for any taxes arising from your use of the Game.

4. Virtual items, $POKE & no guarantee of value

• In-game items, Shards, Prisms, balances, and $POKE are provided for use within the Game. We make no promise that they have or will retain any monetary value, or that they can be sold, withdrawn, or redeemed.
• $POKE is an experimental token, not a security and not an investment. We do not offer it as, or promise, a financial return. See the Disclaimer.
• We may modify, rebalance, suspend, or discontinue the in-game economy at any time. On-chain assets you hold in your own wallet remain yours, subject to the blockchain’s own rules.

5. Wagered duels & house fee

• Duels may let consenting players stake value on the outcome. A house fee (currently 5%) may be retained from a wagered pot. Fees and rules may change.
• Real-value wagering may constitute regulated gambling and may be illegal in your jurisdiction. You represent that such features are lawful for you, and you use them at your own risk. We may restrict, geo-block, or disable these features at any time.
• Outcomes are determined by the Game’s rules and, where used, verifiable on-chain randomness. We do not guarantee any result or payout.

6. Prizes, sweepstakes & promotions

• From time to time we may run prize events, tournaments, or giveaways, which may include digital or physical items. Each promotion may have its own additional rules, which control if they conflict with these Terms.
• Promotions are void where prohibited, may be limited by jurisdiction and age, and (where required by law) may offer a no-purchase-necessary method of entry. Winners are solely responsible for any taxes and for providing any information needed to deliver a prize.
• We are not affiliated with any trademark owner of any physical collectible unless expressly stated.

7. Acceptable use

You agree not to: cheat, exploit bugs, use bots/automation, manipulate the economy, operate multiple accounts to gain an unfair or fraudulent advantage (including self-dealing duels to launder fees); harass, threaten, dox, or abuse other players via chat or voice; transmit unlawful, hateful, or infringing content; attempt to access non-public systems; or use the Game for money laundering, sanctions evasion, or any illegal purpose. We may suspend or ban any account for any reason, including violations of these Terms.

8. Chat & voice

• The Game offers text chat and opt-in proximity voice chat. By using them you consent to transmitting your messages/audio to other players. Voice is peer-to-peer; your IP address may be exposed to peers you connect with (see the Privacy Policy).
• You are responsible for what you say. We may moderate, mute, or remove content and users, but we do not pre-screen and are not responsible for user content.

9. Intellectual property & your content

• The Game, including its original creatures, art, code, names, and branding, is owned by us or our licensors and is protected by law. We grant you a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to play for personal, non-commercial use.
• You retain ownership of content you submit (e.g., chat, your Runner name), and grant us a worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and transmit it as needed to operate the Game.

10. Third-party services

The Game relies on third parties (e.g., the Solana network, wallet providers, RPC providers, hosting, and any integrated collectibles platform). We do not control them and are not responsible for their availability, actions, fees, or content. Your use of them is subject to their own terms.

11. Disclaimers

THE GAME IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE GAME WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, ERROR-FREE, OR THAT ANY ITEM OR TOKEN WILL HAVE VALUE. YOU ASSUME ALL RISK OF USING THE GAME AND INTERACTING WITH THE BLOCKCHAIN.

12. Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, FUNDS, CRYPTO ASSETS, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE GAME. OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 30 DAYS BEFORE THE CLAIM, OR (B) USD $100.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from any claims, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Game, your content, or your violation of these Terms or any law.

14. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access at any time, with or without notice. You may stop using the Game at any time. Sections that by their nature should survive termination will survive.

15. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be reflected by updating the “Last updated” date. Continuing to use the Game after changes means you accept them.

16. Governing law & disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. You agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Game will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Delaware, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue of those courts. You and we each waive any right to a jury trial to the extent permitted by law.

17. Contact

Questions about these Terms: legal@pokeshards.com.