Konami has officially disclosed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be taken offline next month, marking the end of the game's availability on Apple Arcade. The company confirmed that the game will be removed from the Apple Arcade catalogue on August 20, and that all online services supporting the title will be shut down on September 3. After that date, players will no longer be able to launch or play the game on any device. In a statement posted on Konami's website, the publisher reflected on the game's history and the decision to end its service.
"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 announcement 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 title for iOS and Android, initially released only in Canada. The early version featured in‑game currency, micro‑transactions, and a monetisation model typical of many mobile games at the time.
After a year of operation, the original mobile version was discontinued. Konami later decided to revive the game by bringing it to Apple Arcade, a subscription‑based platform that offers a curated library of games without ads or in‑app purchases.
When the game was relaunched on Apple Arcade, Konami took the opportunity to overhaul several aspects of the experience. The developers stripped out the in‑game currency and all micro‑transaction elements, aligning the title with Apple Arcade's no‑ads, no‑extra‑cost philosophy. They also refined the user interface, adjusted level layouts, and upgraded the visual presentation, delivering higher‑resolution graphics and smoother animations to take advantage of the capabilities of iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. The decision to retire Grimoire of Souls comes as part of a broader trend of games being phased out from online services.
In recent months, Konami and other publishers have announced the upcoming shutdown of several titles. For example, Nintendo's Mario Kart Tour is slated to end its service in September, followed by the closure of Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem in October, and the termination of Destruction AllStars in November. These shutdowns reflect the challenges of maintaining live‑service games, especially as player bases shift and the cost of server upkeep grows. For fans of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, the upcoming removal may feel disappointing, but the game's legacy includes several notable contributions to the franchise.
By bringing a classic Castlevania experience to a modern, subscription‑based platform, Konami demonstrated how legacy IPs can be reimagined for new audiences. The removal of micro‑transactions also highlighted a shift toward more player‑friendly monetisation models, at least within the Apple Arcade ecosystem.
Looking ahead, players who wish to preserve their memories of the game can still capture screenshots, record gameplay footage, or keep any offline progress they have earned up until the shutdown date. However, any online features, such as leaderboards, multiplayer modes, or cloud‑saved data, will become inaccessible once the servers are turned off. In summary, Konami's announcement signals the final chapter for Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls on Apple Arcade. The game will be delisted on August 20, and all online functionality will cease on September 3, after which the title will no longer be playable.
The publisher expressed sincere thanks to its community for their support over the years, and the closure aligns with a wave of similar service terminations affecting other mobile and console games in the coming months.