Konami has officially disclosed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be taken offline next month. The game, which has been available exclusively through Apple Arcade, is slated to be removed from the subscription platform on August 20, after which it will become completely inaccessible on September 3. Once that date passes, players will no longer be able to launch or play the experience.
In a statement posted on the company’s website, Konami reflected on the game’s lifespan, noting that it has enjoyed steady support from a dedicated community 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 announcement read. "However, we have decided to terminate the service [in September]." The developer also took the opportunity to thank its audience.
"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 message continued. To understand the context of this shutdown, it helps to trace the title’s origins. Grimoire of Souls first appeared in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play mobile game for iOS and Android, initially released only in the Canadian market.
That early version featured in‑game currency, micro‑transactions, and a monetisation model typical of many mobile titles. After roughly a year, Konami pulled the game from the stores, citing a strategic shift.
In 2021 the franchise was resurrected as a premium offering on Apple Arcade, a subscription service that promises an ad‑free, micro‑transaction‑free experience. When the game returned, Konami stripped away the original in‑game currency system and removed all purchasable items, reworking the user interface and polishing the visual presentation to meet the higher expectations of the Arcade audience.
The updated version was made available not only on iPhone but also on iPad, Apple TV, and Mac, expanding its reach across the Apple ecosystem. The decision to discontinue Grimoire of Souls aligns with a broader trend of legacy titles being phased out as companies streamline their online services. Konami has indicated that several other games are slated for similar fates in the coming months. For example, the popular racing title Mario Kart Tour is set to cease operations in September.
Following that, the Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem experience will be retired in October, and the vehicular combat game Destruction AllStars will close its doors in November. Shutting down an online‑only game involves more than simply pulling the app from a storefront. Once the servers are decommissioned, any online‑dependent features—such as leaderboards, cloud saves, and multiplayer matchmaking—become non‑functional.
Players who have invested time, and possibly money, into the game may find their progress lost. To mitigate disappointment, developers often issue statements of appreciation and, in some cases, provide compensation or migration paths to other titles, though no such measures have been announced for Grimoire of Souls. The removal of Grimoire of Souls from Apple Arcade also highlights the unique nature of subscription‑based gaming libraries.
Unlike traditional purchases where a user retains a copy of the software indefinitely, subscription services retain control over the catalog, meaning titles can be added or removed at the publisher’s discretion. This model offers benefits—such as a constantly refreshed selection of games—but also carries the risk that beloved experiences may disappear without warning.
Fans of the Castlevania franchise who enjoyed Grimoire of Souls may look to other entries in the series for continued enjoyment. Konami’s broader Castlevania portfolio includes critically acclaimed titles like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, and the recent Metroid‑style platformer Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which, while not a direct Konami product, carries the spirit of the series. In summary, Konami’s announcement signals the end of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls as an active service. The game will be delisted from Apple Arcade on August 20, and its online infrastructure will be shut down on September 3, after which it will no longer be playable.
The company expressed sincere thanks to its community for their support over the years, and the shutdown is part of a larger wave of service terminations affecting several other mobile and console titles in the near future. Players are encouraged to enjoy any remaining time they have with the game before the final shutdown date and to explore other offerings within the Castlevania universe.