Konami has officially disclosed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be taken offline next month, marking the end of its availability on Apple Arcade. The company stated that the game will be removed from the Apple Arcade catalogue on August 20, after which it will remain inaccessible to players. The final shutdown is scheduled for September 3, at which point the title will no longer be playable for anyone who has previously downloaded it.
In a brief statement posted on Konami's website, the publisher reflected on the game's lifespan. "Since its launch on Apple Arcade in September 2021, the game has continued to be supported by many players," the announcement read. "However, we have decided to terminate the service [in September]." The message went on to thank the 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." Grimoire of Souls originally debuted in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play mobile experience for iOS and Android users in Canada.
The initial version featured in‑game currency, micro‑transactions, and a monetisation model typical of many mobile titles at the time. After a year of operation, the original service was discontinued, and the game vanished from the app stores.
In early 2021, Konami revived the title by bringing it onto Apple Arcade, a subscription‑based platform that offers a curated selection of games without ads or additional purchases. For the relaunch, the developers stripped out all forms of in‑game currency and micro‑transactions, effectively turning the game into a pure, premium experience for subscribers.
They also took the opportunity to overhaul the user interface, refine level layouts, and enhance the visual fidelity, delivering sharper graphics and smoother animation that better matched the expectations of console‑quality titles. The decision to retire Grimoire of Souls comes amid a broader trend of older mobile and subscription games being phased out as their player bases dwindle or as contractual agreements expire.
Konami is not alone in this regard; several other titles are slated for removal in the coming months. For instance, the popular racing game Mario Kart Tour is set to shut down in September, followed by Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem in October, and the vehicular combat title Destruction AllStars in November. These closures reflect the shifting priorities of developers and platform holders, who must balance ongoing maintenance costs against the revenue generated by legacy games. For fans of the Castlevania franchise, Grimoire of Souls offered a unique take on the classic vampire‑hunting lore.
Rather than following a linear narrative, the game presented a collection of short, bite‑sized missions that allowed players to control a variety of characters from across the series, each with distinct abilities and playstyles. The episodic structure made it well‑suited for short gaming sessions on mobile devices, while the inclusion of multiplayer modes added a competitive edge that kept the community engaged for years. While the shutdown means that new players will no longer be able to experience the game, those who have already installed it will retain access until the September 3 cut‑off date. After that point, the servers that host the game's online features will be deactivated, rendering the title unplayable even if the app remains on a device.
Konami has not indicated any plans to preserve the game through a downloadable archive or to re‑release it on another platform. The removal also raises questions about the preservation of digital-only games. As more titles are tied to specific services or subscription models, the risk of them disappearing forever grows. Preservation advocates argue that developers should consider offering legacy versions or providing source code to archives to ensure that cultural artifacts like Grimoire of Souls remain accessible for future generations.
In summary, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be delisted from Apple Arcade on August 20 and will cease to function entirely on September 3, as confirmed by Konami. The company expressed heartfelt thanks to its player community for years of support.
This shutdown is part of a larger wave of game retirements, highlighting the challenges of sustaining long‑term service for mobile and subscription‑based titles. Players who have enjoyed the game are encouraged to savor the remaining weeks of play before the final servers go dark.