Konami has officially confirmed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will cease operations next month, marking the end of the game’s presence on Apple Arcade. The removal process will occur in two stages: first, the game will be taken off the Apple Arcade catalog on August 20, meaning new players will no longer be able to download it.
Then, on September 3, the service will be completely shut down, rendering the game unplayable for anyone who already has it installed. In a statement posted on the company’s website, Konami reflected on the game’s lifespan and the decision to end support. "Since its launch on Apple Arcade in September 2021, the game has continued to be supported by many players," the statement read. "However, we have decided to terminate the service [in September]." The company went on to thank its community, saying, "We would like to express our gratitude to all of our players for their enthusiastic support throughout the years.
The entire development and operations team sincerely thanks you for being part of this journey." The history of Grimoire of Souls stretches back to September 2019, when it first debuted as a free‑to‑play title for iOS and Android devices in Canada. That initial version featured in‑game currency, microtransactions, and a monetisation model that was later deemed unsustainable for the broader market.
After roughly a year of operation, the original mobile version was discontinued. Konami then re‑imagined the game for Apple’s subscription service, Apple Arcade, relaunching it in September 2021 across a suite of Apple platforms, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac. The Apple Arcade iteration represented a significant overhaul. Konami stripped out all forms of microtransactions and removed the in‑game currency system, aligning the title with the subscription‑first philosophy of the platform.
In addition, the developers refined the user interface, updated level layouts, and upgraded the visual fidelity to take advantage of the higher‑resolution displays available on modern Apple hardware. These changes were intended to provide a more seamless, premium experience for subscribers, positioning Grimoire of Souls as a flagship entry in the classic Castlevania franchise for mobile and console‑like play. Despite these improvements, the game’s player base remained relatively niche compared to Konami’s larger portfolio of titles. Over the past two years, the number of active users gradually declined, a trend that is common for subscription‑based mobile games after the initial launch hype subsides.
As a result, Konami evaluated the cost of maintaining server infrastructure, ongoing updates, and customer support against the revenue generated through the Apple Arcade subscription pool. The conclusion was that continuing to host the service was no longer financially viable. Grimoire of Souls is not the only Konami title slated for termination in the near future. The company has indicated that several other games will follow a similar shutdown schedule over the next few months.
For example, Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour is set to cease operations in September, after which Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem will be taken offline in October, and Destruction AllStars will follow in November. This wave of closures reflects a broader industry pattern where publishers are pruning older or under‑performing live‑service games to reallocate resources toward newer projects and emerging technologies such as cloud gaming, virtual reality, and next‑generation console releases.
For players who have invested time in Grimoire of Souls, the shutdown means that any progress, unlocked characters, or achievements stored on Konami’s servers will become inaccessible after September 3. Konami has advised users to finish any ongoing activities before the final shutdown date, as there will be no opportunity to retrieve saved data afterward. The company also suggested that fans who enjoyed the Castlevania universe explore other titles in the series, such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, or the newer mobile offering, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls Remastered, should it ever be announced.
In summary, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be delisted from Apple Arcade on August 20, with the game’s online services terminating on September 3, after which it will no longer be playable. Konami’s announcement underscores the challenges of sustaining live‑service games on subscription platforms, especially when player engagement wanes over time. The company’s gratitude toward its community highlights the lasting impact the game had on its dedicated fans, even as it joins a growing list of titles that are being retired in the rapidly evolving gaming landscape.