1. What Are Cookies and Local Storage?
Cookies are small text files downloaded to your device when visiting websites. Local Storage (LocalStorage) enables websites to store data directly within your browser without sending it back and forth with every server request.
PC Game Checker employs these technologies solely to ensure core site features, preserve your language settings, and protect service integrity.
2. Categories of Cookies We Use
We categorize the technologies used on our site into the following tiers:
- Strictly Necessary Technical Cookies: Essential for standard browsing. These include 'pcgc_lang' (preserves your chosen language across visits), 'pcgc_consent' (records your cookie banner selection), and temporary session tokens to prevent CSRF attacks. These cookies do not require prior consent as the site cannot operate properly without them.
- Preference Local Storage (LocalStorage): Your browser privately stores active catalog filters (genres, year, hardware tier), local favorite games list, and trailer player preferences (volume and autoplay). This data never leaves your device.
- Security and Performance Cookies: Cookies managed by Cloudflare (such as security verification tokens) to distinguish genuine human users from bot networks.
- Third-Party and Affiliate Links: When opening external purchase links (Steam, itch.io, etc.), target platforms may deploy their own attribution cookies governed by their respective policies.
3. Summary of Core Cookies
- pcgc_lang | Source: First-party | Purpose: Remembers selected interface language | Duration: 1 year | Category: Strictly Necessary
- pcgc_consent | Source: First-party | Purpose: Stores cookie preferences decision | Duration: 1 year | Category: Strictly Necessary
- LocalStorage (pcgc_favorites, filters) | Source: Local device | Purpose: Saves bookmarked games and search filters | Duration: Persistent | Category: Preferences
- __cf_bm / cf_clearance | Source: Cloudflare | Purpose: DDoS prevention and bot protection | Duration: Session / 30 minutes | Category: Security
4. Managing and Disabling Cookies
You can modify, block, or delete cookies at any time via your browser settings:
- Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Third-party cookies.
- Brave Browser: Settings > Shields > Cookie control.
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data.
- Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Manage cookies.
- Apple Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Block all cookies.
Please note that disabling strictly necessary cookies may prevent the site from remembering your language preference.
5. Policy Updates
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to accommodate technical or regulatory changes. We encourage periodic review of this page.