Konami has confirmed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be taken offline next month, marking the end of the game’s presence on Apple Arcade. The service will first remove the game from the Apple Arcade catalogue on August 20, and two weeks later, on September 3, the servers that support the game will be shut down, rendering it unplayable for anyone who still has it installed. In an official statement posted on Konami’s website, the company reflected on the game’s lifespan since its debut on Apple Arcade in September 2021. "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 wording underscores that the decision was strategic rather than a result of technical failure or a lack of interest. The announcement also included a heartfelt thank‑you to the community. "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 note continued.
This sentiment highlights the close relationship between the developers and the fan base, acknowledging the role of player feedback and loyalty in sustaining the title over its multi‑year run. To understand why Grimoire of Souls is now being retired, it helps to look back at its origins. The game first appeared in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play title for iOS and Android, initially released only in Canada. It offered a collectible‑driven, action‑RPG experience set in the iconic Castlevania universe, allowing players to gather and upgrade a roster of classic characters such as Simon Belmont, Alucard, and Maria Renard.
After a year of operation, the original version was discontinued, largely due to the challenges of maintaining a free‑to‑play model with in‑game purchases on mobile platforms. Konami later revived the title by bringing it onto Apple Arcade in September 2021, positioning it as a premium, ad‑free experience. This relaunch involved several significant changes: the removal of all in‑game currency and microtransaction mechanics, a redesign of the user interface to better suit larger screens like iPad and Mac, and a visual overhaul that upgraded textures, lighting, and character models to take advantage of Apple’s hardware capabilities.
By eliminating the monetisation layer, Konami aimed to provide a more straightforward, player‑focused experience that aligned with Apple Arcade’s subscription‑based philosophy. The decision to shut down Grimoire of Souls follows a broader trend of mobile and console titles being retired as their player bases dwindle or as companies reallocate resources to newer projects.
Konami has already signalled that several other games are slated for similar fates in the coming months. For example, the popular racing title Mario Kart Tour is scheduled to cease operations in September, Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem will follow in October, and the vehicular combat game Destruction AllStars is set to close in November. These closures reflect the natural lifecycle of live‑service games, which often require ongoing updates, server maintenance, and community engagement to remain viable.
For players who still own Grimoire of Souls, the upcoming delisting means that new downloads will no longer be possible after August 20. Existing installations will continue to function until September 3, after which the game will attempt to connect to its online servers for authentication and data synchronization. Once those servers are offline, the title will essentially become a static, unplayable file on the device.
Konami recommends that fans who wish to preserve any personal progress or screenshots back up their data before the shutdown date. The broader Castlevania franchise continues to thrive, with recent releases such as Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls’ spiritual successor, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night remasters, and the upcoming titles announced for next‑generation consoles. While the specific iteration of Grimoire of Souls will no longer be accessible, the legacy of its characters and lore lives on in these newer projects, ensuring that longtime fans can still experience the gothic atmosphere and classic gameplay that define the series. In summary, Konami’s upcoming removal of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls from Apple Arcade is a planned, transparent process.
The game will be delisted on August 20, and its online services will be terminated on September 3, after which it will no longer be playable. The company expressed sincere thanks to its community, reflected on the game’s evolution from a free‑to‑play mobile title to a premium Apple Arcade offering, and placed this shutdown within the context of a broader wave of service terminations affecting several other mobile games. Players are encouraged to back up any personal data they wish to keep before the final shutdown, and to look forward to future Castlevania experiences that continue to build on the series’ rich heritage.