What Block Blast actually does with your data

Block Blast is a puzzle game made by Scopely, a game studio owned by Playtika. Like most free mobile games, it collects data about how you play — which levels you complete, how long you spend in the app, whether you make in-game purchases — and shares that information with advertising networks and analytics companies. The game itself does not steal your contacts, photos, or banking information. But it does track your behavior inside the app and link it to your device ID, which advertisers use to build a profile of you.

The real trade-off is not whether Block Blast will drain your bank account or infect your phone. It is whether you are comfortable with a game company and its advertising partners knowing your gaming habits, your device type, your approximate location, and potentially your age and gender. That information gets sold or traded to help advertisers target you with ads — both inside Block Blast and on other apps and websites you use.

Key Takeaways

  • Block Blast collects data about your gameplay, device, and location, then shares it with advertising and analytics companies to build a profile used for targeted ads.
  • The game requests permission to access your location, contacts, and photos — you can deny these permissions and still play, though some features may not work.
  • In-app purchases are optional, but the game uses design patterns (like limited-time offers and reward delays) meant to encourage spending.
  • Your main risks are financial (if you or a child makes accidental purchases) and privacy (your gaming data becomes part of an advertising profile).
  • Turning off personalized ads in your device settings and reviewing app permissions before playing reduces exposure without blocking the game entirely.

What permissions Block Blast asks for and why

When you first open Block Blast on Android or iOS, the app asks for permission to access your location, contacts, calendar, photos, and microphone. None of these are required to play the game itself. Scopely requests them because advertising networks pay more for data-rich profiles — knowing your location helps advertisers target you by region, and access to your contacts lets them infer your social network and income level.

You can refuse every permission and still play Block Blast. On both Android and iOS, you can tap "Don't Allow" when the permission prompt appears. The game will work normally. Some cosmetic features (like sharing your score to social media) may not function, but gameplay is not blocked. If you have already granted permissions and want to revoke them, go to your device settings, find Block Blast in the app list, and toggle off Location, Contacts, Photos, and Microphone. The game will continue to run.

How Block Blast makes money and what that means for you

Block Blast is free to read and play, but Scopely makes money two ways: in-app purchases and advertising. The game sells power-ups (like extra moves or bomb pieces), cosmetic skins, and battle passes that unlock rewards over time. None of these are necessary to progress. You can complete levels without spending money, though the game gets harder and slower as you advance, which creates pressure to buy.

The second revenue stream is advertising. Block Blast shows ads between levels, in reward chests, and in optional video ads that give you extra moves or coins. These ads are targeted based on the data Scopely collects about you. The more the game knows about your age, location, interests, and spending habits, the more it can charge advertisers to show you their ads. This is why the game asks for so many permissions — not because it needs them to function, but because they make the advertising more valuable.

In-app purchases and accidental charges

Block Blast uses several design patterns that make spending money feel natural and low-risk. Prices are shown in soft currency (coins or gems you earn in-game) rather than dollars, which makes the real cost less obvious. Limited-time offers create urgency — a power-up might be "50% off" for the next six hours. Reward chests open slowly unless you pay to speed them up, which trains you to think of payment as a shortcut rather than a loss.

If you have a child playing Block Blast, the biggest financial risk is accidental purchases. iOS and Android both require a password or biometric confirmation before charging your payment method, but a child who watches you unlock your phone can bypass this. Set up a separate app store account for your child with a spending limit, or disable in-app purchases entirely in your device settings. On iOS, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases and set it to "Don't Allow". On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile icon, go to Settings > Family > Parental Controls, and toggle on purchase approval.

Data sharing and advertising profiles

Scopely shares Block Blast data with dozens of third-party companies. Their privacy policy names some of them — companies like Google, Facebook, AppsFlyer, and Adjust — but also uses broad language like "advertising partners" and "service providers" to cover others. These companies use your gameplay data, device ID, and location to build an advertising profile. That profile follows you across apps and websites. If you play Block Blast for two hours on a Tuesday afternoon, advertisers can infer you have free time during work hours, and they adjust what ads they show you accordingly.

You cannot stop Scopely from collecting this data without deleting the app. But you can reduce how much of it gets used for targeted ads. On iOS, go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking and toggle off "Allow Apps to Request to Track". On Android, go to Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Data & Privacy > Ad Settings and turn off "Personalized ads". This does not stop the data collection — Block Blast still knows how you play — but it tells advertising networks not to use that data to target you with personalized ads. You will still see ads, but they will be less tailored to your profile.

Malware and security risks

Block Blast itself does not contain malware or spyware. Scopely is a legitimate company, and the game passes Apple's and Google's security reviews before it reaches the app store. The app does not secretly access your files, record your screen, or install anything on your device without your knowledge. The security risk is not that Block Blast will harm your device — it is that the data it collects can be misused if Scopely's servers are breached or if a third-party advertising partner is compromised.

In 2023, Scopely disclosed a data breach affecting some players' accounts. No payment information was exposed, but usernames, email addresses, and game progress were accessed. The company reset affected passwords and offered account recovery tools. This is a reminder that any online service you use can be breached, and the more data a company collects about you, the more there is to lose if their security fails. You cannot eliminate this risk without avoiding online games entirely, but you can reduce it by using a unique, strong password for your Block Blast account and enabling two-factor authentication if the game offers it.

How to play Block Blast with lower privacy and financial risk

If you want to play Block Blast but reduce your exposure, start by denying all permission requests. Tap "Don't Allow" for location, contacts, photos, and microphone. The game will work normally. Next, disable personalized ads in your device settings using the steps above. Then, if you have a payment method linked to your app store account, either remove it or set up a spending limit. On iOS, you can use a gift card with a fixed balance instead of a credit card. On Android, you can set a monthly spending limit in Google Play settings.

Finally, be aware of the game's design patterns. Limited-time offers, reward chests that open slowly, and power-ups that make levels easier are all meant to encourage spending. If you find yourself tempted to buy something, wait 24 hours and see if you still want it. Most limited-time offers will return. If you notice you are spending more than you intended, or if the game is affecting your sleep or other activities, those are signs to take a break or delete the app. Block Blast is designed to be engaging — that is the point — but you control how much time and money you give it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Block Blast access my banking or payment information?

No. Block Blast cannot see your bank account, credit card number, or payment method directly. When you make an in-app purchase, the transaction goes through your app store (Apple or Google), not through Scopely. Your payment information stays with Apple or Google. Scopely only knows that a purchase was made, not the details of how you paid.

Is Block Blast safe for children to play?

Block Blast is rated 4+ on iOS and has no age restriction on Android, so it is designed for children. The main risks are accidental in-app purchases and data collection. Disable in-app purchases in your device settings, deny all permission requests, and turn off personalized ads. The game itself contains no violent content, profanity, or adult themes. Monitor how much time your child spends playing — the game is designed to be addictive.

What happens if I delete Block Blast and reinstall it later?

If you linked your game account to Facebook or your email, your progress will be saved and you can recover it by signing in again. If you did not link your account, your progress is lost. Either way, Scopely keeps the data it collected about your previous gameplay. Deleting the app does not erase your profile from their servers or from advertising networks that received your data.

Does turning off personalized ads stop Block Blast from collecting my data?

No. Turning off personalized ads tells advertising networks not to use your data to target you with customized ads, but Block Blast and Scopely still collect the data. They use it for their own analytics, to improve the game, and to sell to other companies. The only way to stop data collection is to not play the game.

Why does Block Blast need access to my location?

Block Blast does not need your location to work. Scopely requests it because advertising networks pay more for location data — it lets them target you based on where you live or where you spend time. You can deny this permission and play normally. Denying it just means advertisers will have less information about you.