Official FAQ

The following is the official frequently asked questions for the game through it's on page on the SEGA Mobile Games Customer Service. Thus, this page reflects all of the exact information intact with the page.

## Hot Topics

### Why does my reward sometimes not get doubled after I watch an advert?

We're aware that certain adverts aren't correctly doubling rewards and are investigating further why this is happening. In the meantime, some players have reported the following workaround for the Empires and Puzzlers advert:

1. When the advert loads, immediately tap the "Play Free" button. This will open the game's page in your device's app store
2. Return from the app store back to the game. You should now receive your doubled reward as expected

## Billing

### How can I restrict or limit purchases on my device?

Apple, Google, and Amazon all provide additional ways to block or limit purchases. We strongly encourage you to set these features up regardless of who has access to your device, and recommend using a password or passcode that is different to the one you use to unlock the device for extra security.

* **iOS / Apple**: To set up these restrictions on iOS or Apple devices, please follow the guide on Apple's support site here: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204396
* **Android / Google Play**: To set up these restrictions on Android devices with the Google Play Store, please follow the instructions on Google's support site here: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1626831
* **Amazon / Kindle**: To block in-app purchases on Amazon devices such as the Kindle Fire, follow the steps on Amazon's support site here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201357730

### What should I do if there is a problem with my real-money purchase?

Please submit a support request and we will look into the problem.  Be sure to include:

* A screenshot of your purchase receipt emailed from Apple or Google
* The email address associated with that Apple or Google account.
* A brief but detailed description of what happened, when the problem occurred, how it happened, and any other information that you think we should know.

The best way to contact our support team is through the game: open the settings menu, select the Support tab, then tap the "Support" button to get in touch.

### What should I do if I have unauthorised charges on my account?

SEGA will not charge your iTunes/Google Wallet account without valid credentials and a confirmation of the purchase.  If you have unauthorized charges, your account may have been compromised.

If you believe that you have been fraudulently charged for purchases in a SEGA game, please do the following:

* Confirm that the charge was from a purchase made in a SEGA game.
* Check with Friends, Household Members and anyone else who may have known your password or had access to your device to see if they made the purchase, either accidentally or otherwise.
* Check that you have Purchase Restrictions set up on your devices:
	+ iOS: Check that you have Purchase Restrictions set up on your devices. Go to Settings -> General -> Restrictions
	+ Android: Check that you have Purchase Restrictions set up on all of your devices - look in the device settings or check your device's user manual for more information on how to do this on your specific device.
* Contact Apple's iTunes Support or Google Wallet Support about the charge.  When you contact them, let them know that unauthorized purchases have been made through your account.  If they try to forward you back to us, please remind them that you are not contacting them about a game defect but about unauthorized charges.

In the meantime, you should consider the log-in and password you used for your account to be compromised.  It is highly recommended that you take the following steps to ensure the security of your account going forward:

* Change your iTunes or Google password.  Use a unique password from other accounts for added security.
* Consider changing the email tied to your account.
* Consider changing the log-in ID and password of any other online accounts tied to that email or that use the same password.
* If you use these log-in credentials for anything else tied to your debit/credit card (such as online stores, online banking, PayPal, etc...) we also suggest you review your statements for any other fraudulent charges.

It is always best to take extra caution with these sorts of accounts by maintaining different passwords and usernames for each and having a unique password for your email.

## Profiles and Accounts

### Can I transfer my progress between two different devices?

Yes, it’s possible to transfer your progress between two different devices. Before you do this, please be aware that this is a **permanent and irreversible process: i**f you transfer your account to another device, this other device will always have access to your account and it won't be possible for you to remove their access. **Please never share your account ID or link code with anyone else, and only transfer your progress to another device you own**.

**Transferring between devices on the same platform (eg iOS to iOS; Android to Android)**
Progress is synced between devices on the same platform using the tools the platform holders provide - Google Play Games  on Android, or Game Center on iOS. Simply visit the Account tab in the settings menu in Sonic Forces, then tap Connect to link your game to your Google Play or Game Center account. Then, sign into the same Google Play or Game Center account on your second device and your progress will automatically be restored.

Note that for legal reasons this feature isn't available to players who are under 13 years old. If you cannot access the Accounts tab in your game, please contact SEGA’s support team for more help with your account transfer.

**Transferring between platforms (eg from iOS to Android, or from Android to iOS)**
You can transfer your account between platforms using the "Link Devices" button in the Account tab of the Settings menu. Before you do so, take a screenshot of the Settings > Support tab on both devices. This is so you have a record of your account IDs in case anything goes wrong when transferring your account.

When ready, go to the Account tab on the Settings menu and select "Link Devices" on both of your devices and select "old" or "new" depending on which device you want to transfer the data from. Then, simply follow the on-screen instructions.

Please **make sure you never post your link code anywhere publicly or share it with anyone else**, as it will allow other players to gain permanent and irreversible​ access to your account.

Note that for legal reasons this feature isn't available to players who are under 13 years old. If you cannot access the Accounts tab in your game, please contact SEGA’s support team for more help with your account transfer.

### What should I do to reduce the chances of losing my account?

There are a couple of things you can do to reduce the chances of your account being permanently lost.

First, if you are over the age of digital consent in your country – the age varies between countries, but in most places it is between 13 and 18 years old – you should link your game to a Google Play Games or Game Center account from the Accounts tab in the settings menu. Linking your account in this way means that you’ll be able to restore your progress on any device, just by logging into the appropriate Game Center or Google Play Games account.

As well as linking your account, we also recommend that everyone makes a note of their account ID. This ID represents your account, and keeping a note of it means that, even if you have trouble restoring your account using your Game Center or Google Play Games account, the support team will be able to locate and recover your missing profile from the game's servers. You can find your account ID at the bottom of the Support tab in the settings menu.

Note: **your Account ID is sensitive information and should never be shared with anyone other than SEGA staff**. Be careful not to show your Account ID when sharing screenshots, and never share it with other players for any reason.

### I have lost my progress, how can I recover it?

All progress made in Sonic Forces is stored safely on our servers. If you have previously linked it to your Google Play Games or Game Center account, you should be able to recover it automatically by signing into the same Google Play Games or Game Center account.

If you're having trouble recovering your progress by doing this, please contact our support team using the “Support” button in the game’s settings menu. It’s important to include as much information as you can about your missing account including:

* Your old account ID, if you have a record of it.
* The account ID of the profile currently on your device.
* Your old account name; this is case sensitive, so please try to be as accurate as you can
* If you have made any purchases on your missing account, please include receipts for these purchases that clearly show your order number.
* The first time you used your missing account, and most recent time you used it before it was lost.
* Any other information you can provide about your missing account.

The more information we have, the better the chance we will have of finding and restoring your progress.

## Fair Play and security

### Fair play in Sonic Forces

Fun and Fair play is core to the experience we aim to provide with our games. With that in mind, we have created the guide below to help you understand how to behave in our games to make sure you - and the players you play with - have the best experience.

Be respectful
Yes, you might be having a bad day, or you might be frustrated that another player beat you, but it's important to remain respectful. Here are some examples of behaviours that we don't accept, and that may result in your account being permanently suspended:

1. **Bullying or threats**: in particular, changing your name to something that anyone else
2. **Swearing or obscene language**: The game uses filters to block offensive terms, but anyone attempting to bypass our filters will be breaking this rule.
3. **Hate speech**
4. **Spamming or advertising**

Be fair
When a player does something that unfairly benefits them, this goes against the spirit of fair competition and can ruin the experience for everyone else. Don't use modified versions of the game to give yourself an unfair leg-up over your opponents. It's important not to modify your game save, both to keep the playfield level, and to keep your personal data safe: the third party websites or applications that claim to be able to give you items or rings may in reality be viruses designed to gain access to your phone, tablet, or computer, and access the data on it.

To keep things fair and fun for everyone, if we detect your account is doing something that isn't fair to other players, it may be permanently suspended. Examples of actions that could lead to your account being suspended include:

1. **Cheating or hacking**
2. **Repeatedly exploiting a bug or glitch**
3. **Attempting to use a non-SEGA website or app to upgrade your account**
4. **Buying or selling accounts**

### What should I do to make sure I keep my account secure?

Sonic Forces accounts are linked to your device, and it’s not possible for others to gain access to them without also having access to information about or access to your account or device. Bearing that in mind, there are some things you can do to keep your account secure:

1. **Never share your Account ID with anyone other than employees of SEGA**. Be extra careful not to accidentally share a screenshot that shows your Account ID, and don’t share your Account ID with any other players for any reason.
2. **Never share your Link Code with anyone else**. You can use your link code to f someone else knows your link code, they will be able to access your account.
3. **Use a strong password on your Apple, Google, Amazon, or Samsung account**. If someone else gains access to one of the accounts above, they may be able to access your Sonic Forces account, as well as any other accounts linked to it. Make sure to use a strong password to help keep your account secure, and don't share this password with anyone else for any reason. If possible, also use two-factor authenticiation for added security
4. **Don't run any modified versions of the game, and don't use third party tools to modify your account**. The official store version of the game is the only version that is guaranteed to be safe. No matter what a modded version of the game says it can do, and no matter what a website claims it can do, by using it you run the risk of unknowingly installing malicious software on your device.

### I have seen another player who I think is cheating, or who has been behaving inappropriately. What should I do?

If you believe another has cheated, or if you see a player behaving inappropriately, please report them to SEGA’s support team. The best way to do this is using the support button in the game’s settings menu.

Please note that although we review all reports, we are unable to provide information to you on the status of other player’s accounts, so we’ll be unable to update you with the outcome of the investigation, but know that we investigate every report we receive.

### My account has been suspended, can I have the suspension removed?

In most cases, account suspensions are not removed. However, if you believe your account was suspended in error, please contact the support team using the “Submit a request” button at the top of this page.

### Why has my account been suspended?

We carefully monitor accounts to ensure they are playing fairly. Account can be suspended for a number of reasons including:

* Cheating or hacking
* Taking advantage of an exploit
* Buying or selling an account
* Posting offensive or inappropriate content

If you believe your account was suspended in error, please visit this page for more information on what to do.

For more information on our Fair Play policy, please see the Fair Play in Sonic Forces article.

## Gameplay

### How does matchmaking work?

When setting up a race against other real players, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle takes into account your Trophy score and your physical location to match you with similar competitors for the best experience.

### How do Seasons work?

To become eligible for Seasons, you'll first need to become a Specialist by reaching Tier 4. Once you've reached Tier 4, qualify for the Season reward by winning 3 battles, and when the season ends you'll be able to collect your reward.

Keep track of your Seasons progress in the Progress menu, which you can access by tapping the Trophy icon on the main menu, which is highlighted in green below.

Keep winning your battles and earning Trophies to move up the Tiers and get a better reward at the end of the season!

There are three additional Prestige Tiers starting at Master, Tier 8. At the end of the Season any additional Trophies earned in these Tiers are converted into Prestige Points, a permanent score for your profile. Your Trophy count is then reset back to 4000 when the next Season begins.

### What are tiers?

Tiers are used to measure your progress in the game. You must have a set number of Trophies in order to move into each Tier, but remember, you can also drop back to lower Tiers if your trophy count falls below the Tier's requirement. To see your current Tier and information about other Tiers, tap the Seasons button on the main menu, which is highlighted in green below.

Moving into a new Tier unlocks one or more new Tracks to race on and improves the rewards you receive from Chests!

### Why does my protective bubble sometimes not prevent me from taking damage?

The protective bubble will protect you from taking most types of damage. However, you won't be protected from:

* Bubble Bomb
* Booby Trap
* Steal
* Illusion damage
* Falling into a bottomless pit
* Drowning
* Being crushed
* Running out of time

### Why do I sometimes lose trophies after coming second in a race?

The current trophy system uses a variety of factors to determine how many trophies you win or lose, including your position, and your total trophies compared to each of your opponents' trophies. If you lose to a player with fewer trophies than you, it's possible to lose trophies even if you finish in second place.

You can always check out the number of trophies of other racers you're competing with at the start of each match.

### What are Trophies, and how do I win them?

Trophies are awarded at the end of each Battle and measure your overall success in the game. The number of Trophies you win after a race is based on your position in the race, as well as the number of Trophies your opponent's have.

For example, if you beat players who have more Trophies than you, you'll win more Trophies than if you beat players with fewer Trophies than you. Conversely, if you lose to a player with more Trophies than you, you'll lose fewer Trophies than if you lose to a player with fewer Trophies than you.

As well as determining your Tier and the rewards you receive, Trophies are also used for matchmaking. When you start a new Battle, the game will attempt to match you against players who have a similar number of Trophies.

### How can I get new runners?

You get new Runners by collecting Runner Cards. These can be earned in Chests, for completing Events and Missions, or obtained in the Store.

Once you have the required number of cards, the Runner will unlock automatically and become available for selection in a battle. Any additional cards can then be used to upgrade the Runner.

### Why have I stopped receiving battle chests?

Remember, a maximum of 25 Battle Chests can be earned each day. Beyond this, you can keep racing but you won't earn any more crates. This timer reset at **8:00am GMT** every day.

### What do I earn by increasing my Player Level?

You receive two upgrades each time your player level increases: Ring Boost and Attack Resistance. Ring Boost is the amount your top speed increases when you collect Rings in a Battle. Attack Resistance reduces the damage or duration of an attack from another player.

### Why should I upgrade my runners

You can upgrade a Runner a set number of times. Each upgrade makes one of the Runner's Items more powerful or increases the number of Rings your Runner starts a battle with. You also earn XP with each upgrade which is used to fill your XP bar and increase your Player Level.

### What are items, and how do I use them?

An Item is a special ability that is obtained during a race by running into one of the Item Crates that are on the track.

Each Runner has a unique combination of three Items they can pick up: an Attack, a Boost, and a Trap. Attacks target other Runners, Boosts help your character in some way, and Traps appear across the track in front of you. Once equipped, an Item can be used by tapping on its icon at the bottom of the screen. Up to three Items can be equipped at any time.

### How is each runner different?

Each runner has three distinct Items they can use in a Battle: an Attack, a Boost, and a Trap. They also also have three attributes: Speed, Acceleration and Strength. Speed is the top speed a Runner can reach, Acceleration is how quickly a Runner can reach top speed and Strength is the amount a Runner slows down when they take damage from an attack.

### What are Chests?

All Chests contain rewards, which can include Rings, Red Star Rings and Runner Cards. The amount of rewards in each Chest depends on the type of Chest and the your current tier level.

After winning a chest, you can start the unlock process by tapping the "Unlocking" button on the main menu. Each chest takes a certain amount of time to unlock - once it's unlocked, tap on it to received the items it contains!

**Battle Chests** are awarded after each battle. There is a different Battle Chest for each finishing position, with first place containing the most rewards, and fourth place containing the least. A maximum of 25 Battle Chests can be earned each day.

**Victory Chests** are awarded for finishing first or second in a battle. A Victory Chest must be unlocked over a set time before it can be opened and only one Victory Chest can be set to unlock at any time. Victory Chests are usually Silver, but occasionally, a more valuable Chest will be rewarded instead.

**Free Chests** are automatically rewarded four hours after a previous one has been claimed. Up to two Free Chests can be held at once. They always contain Red Star Rings.

### What are Red Rings used for?

You can use Red Star Rings to purchase Chests or buy more Gold Rings. You can buy more Red Star Rings in the store, or win them by playing the game.

### What's the purpose of collecting Gold Rings in a battle?

Collecting Gold Rings fills your Ring Boost Bar which increases your runner's top speed, up to a maximum of 100 Gold Rings. The more Gold Rings you have the faster your top speed will be, but be careful: taking damage will cause you to drop the Gold Rings you have collected. During a race, you can see your current Gold Ring total at the top-right of the screen.

After the race ends, you keep the rings you've collected and can use them to upgrade your runners.

### What rewards do I get for completing missions?

Missions can award Runner Cards, Rings, Red Star Rings, and even guaranteed Rares or Super Rares at higher tiers.

To view and collect your missions, tap the "Missions" button on the left side of the Home screen. If you have completed missions to collect, the button will appear in gold, as you can see below.

## Adverts

### I saw an advert that I think isn't appropriate for the game. What should I do?

We work closely with our advert providers to make sure we only show adverts that are appropriate for all ages. However, if you see any adverts that don't align with SEGA's family friendly values, please let our support team know so we can review it. When messaging our team about adverts, please include the following information:

* The country in which you were located when you saw the advert.
* The make and model of the device you were using when you saw the advert.
* The type of advert: was it a small banner advert at the bottom of the screen? A full screen popup? A video you watched to earn something in game?
* The name of the product or app the advert was recommending.
* If possible, please also take a screenshot of the advert and include it in your message.

The best way to contact our support team is by using the "Support" button in the game, which you can find by opening the Settings menu, and selecting the Support tab.

## How do I remove adverts from my game?

Making any real-money purchase from the store will remove adverts from the game. This will remove banner adverts, and adverts that appear during regular gameplay, but you’ll still be presented with the option to watch videos to do things like skip timers and open chests.

## Why is my game showing adverts?

Adverts are important in allowing us to continue to provide the game for free.

If you would like to remove adverts from your game, then making any real-money purchase from the store will do this. This will remove banner adverts, and adverts that appear during regular gameplay, but you’ll still be presented with the option to watch videos to do things like skip timers and open chests.

## Technical Help

### My game isn't running correctly, what can I do?

If you are experiencing problems within the game, here are a few options you could try:

**Try fully closing the game**

* For iOS (iOS7 or newer):From the device's main screen, double tap the "Home" key to view all running apps. Scroll through the list of apps until you find Sonic Forces: Speed Battle. “Swipe" the app off the screen and it should disappear - you've now closed the game.
* For Android: Depending on the device, apps can be closed under the "Settings". Search for the "Manage Apps" page or its equivalence within the settings. Players can choose to "Shut Down" the app to fully close the game. (Please refer to your device's manual for specific instructions.)

**Try running the app in Airplane mode or on WiFi only.** There are some cases where your cellular connection and WiFi connection can interfere with each other.

* Try switching to Airplane Mode and playing offline
* Try switching to Airplane Mode and turn on WiFi
* Try switching off WiFi and using just your Cellular connection

**Restart your device.**

* For iOS: Press and hold the Power Button for 5 seconds and Slide to Power Off. Once your device has powered down, press and hold the Power button again to turn it back on again.
* For Android: For many devices, press and hold the Power Button and select "Power off". Once your device has powered down, press and hold the Power button again to turn it back on again.

**Check for updates for your device:**

* iOS: Apple recommends that you first back up your data before an update. Go to Settings -> General -> Software Update
* Android: On many devices you can find the option to update your software in the "About Device" section of your Settings. If you are unable to update your software, please see your device's instruction manual.

**Reset your Network Connection.** Certain data may be left over on devices after each update that could conflict with game play. Certain devices allow you to reset or "flush out" any older network settings that may improve connections. Please be aware that you may need to reconfigure certain settings such as router passwords.

* For iOS: Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset Network Settings
* For Android: Please see your device's instruction manual.

### Why is my game stuttering or lagging?

Players on some older or slower Android devices might experience a slight stuttering effect on their characters when using high settings. The best way to stop this happening immediately by lowering your graphics settings - lower settings will be less demanding, and will run more smoothly on all devices.

You can chose your graphical quality settings on the Game tab of the settings menu.