Konami has officially confirmed that its Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls title will be taken offline next month, marking the end of its availability on Apple Arcade. The game will be removed from the Apple Arcade catalogue on August 20, and after a brief grace period, the servers that support the title will be shut down on September 3, at which point players will no longer be able to launch or play the game. In a statement posted on the company’s website, Konami reflected on the title’s lifespan.
"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." Grimoire of Souls originally debuted in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play mobile experience for iOS and Android users in Canada.
After a year of operation, the initial version was discontinued, but Konami saw an opportunity to revive the game by bringing it to Apple’s subscription service. In September 2021, the title was relaunched across multiple Apple platforms, including iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and macOS, as part of the Apple Arcade lineup.
The re‑release came with a substantial overhaul. Konami stripped out the original in‑game currency and micro‑transaction mechanics that had been part of the free‑to‑play model, opting instead for a pure, subscription‑based experience. Alongside the removal of monetisation features, the development team refreshed the user interface, refined level layouts, and upgraded the visual fidelity to better match the capabilities of modern Apple hardware. These changes were intended to provide a smoother, more immersive experience for both longtime fans of the Castlevania franchise and newcomers discovering the series through Apple Arcade.
Despite these improvements, the game’s player base gradually declined, a trend not uncommon for titles that rely on continuous online connectivity and regular content updates. Maintaining server infrastructure, providing technical support, and ensuring compatibility with evolving operating system updates all represent ongoing costs for developers.
When a game’s active audience shrinks below a sustainable threshold, companies often make the difficult decision to sunset the service. Grimoire of Souls is not the only Konami title slated for removal in the near future.
The company has indicated that several other games will also be taken offline over the coming months. For example, the popular mobile racing game Mario Kart Tour is scheduled to cease operations in September. Following that, the Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem experience will be discontinued in October, and the vehicular combat title Destruction AllStars is set to go offline in November. This wave of shutdowns reflects a broader industry pattern where publishers retire older online‑dependent games to reallocate resources toward new projects and emerging platforms.
For players who have invested time in Grimoire of Souls, the announcement serves as a reminder to finish any ongoing progress before the September 3 deadline. Since the game’s online components will no longer function after that date, any saved data stored on Konami’s servers will become inaccessible. Players are encouraged to capture screenshots, record gameplay, or otherwise preserve memories of their in‑game achievements while the service remains active. The removal of Grimoire of Souls also underscores the evolving nature of digital distribution.
Unlike physical media, which can be retained indefinitely, subscription‑based and cloud‑dependent titles are subject to the lifespan of the service that hosts them. When a publisher decides to end support, the content effectively disappears for consumers, highlighting the importance of understanding the terms of service and the longevity of digital purchases. In summary, Konami’s Castlevania: Grimoira of Souls will be delisted from Apple Arcade on August 20 and fully shut down on September 3, ending its availability to players worldwide.
The company expressed sincere appreciation for the community’s support over the years and noted that the decision was part of a broader strategy to streamline its portfolio of online games. Fans of the series are advised to enjoy the remaining days of play, capture any final moments, and look forward to future Castlevania projects that may arise on other platforms.