Konami has made public its plan to discontinue Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls next month, ending the game's availability on Apple Arcade. The title, which has been exclusive to the Apple Arcade platform since its re‑launch, will first be taken off the storefront on August 20. After that date, the game will remain accessible only to those who have already downloaded it, but the online services that keep it functional will be shut down on September 3, rendering it completely unplayable. In an official statement posted on the company’s website, Konami reflected on the game’s history and its decision to end support.
"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 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." To understand why this shutdown matters, it helps to look back at 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 Canada. That early version relied on in‑game currency and microtransactions, a common monetisation model for mobile titles. After a year of service, the original version was discontinued, but Konami saw an opportunity to revive the game in a new form. In September 2021, the game was relaunched across Apple’s ecosystem—iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and macOS—under the Apple Arcade subscription model.
This shift eliminated the previous free‑to‑play structure; the game no longer featured microtransactions or purchasable currency. Instead, Konami focused on delivering a polished experience with revised user interfaces, updated level layouts, and enhanced graphics that took advantage of Apple’s hardware capabilities. The re‑release was well received by fans of the Castlevania franchise, who appreciated the chance to explore a new entry that blended classic gothic aesthetics with modern gameplay mechanics. Players could collect and upgrade a variety of characters, each with unique abilities, and engage in cooperative multiplayer battles.
The game’s design encouraged strategic team composition and offered a variety of challenges that kept the community active for months after launch. Despite these strengths, maintaining an online‑only service carries ongoing costs, including server upkeep, regular content updates, and customer support.
As the player base gradually declines—a natural lifecycle for most live‑service games—companies often reassess the viability of continuing to fund those operations. Konami’s decision to end support for Grimoire of Souls aligns with this broader industry trend, where titles that no longer attract sufficient active users are phased out to allocate resources to newer projects. Grimoire of Souls is not the only game on Konami’s roster slated for removal in the near future. The company has indicated a schedule of additional shutdowns: Mario Kart Tour, a popular mobile racing game, is set to cease operations in September; Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem will follow in October; and Destruction AllStars, another Apple Arcade title, is planned for November.
This pattern suggests a strategic pruning of legacy services as Konami concentrates on its core franchises and upcoming releases. For players who have invested time in Grimoire of Souls, the shutdown may feel disappointing.
However, the company’s statement emphasizes appreciation for the community’s enthusiasm and acknowledges the role that fans played in shaping the game’s evolution. Those who still wish to experience the game can do so before the August 20 delisting, after which it will no longer be discoverable in the Apple Arcade catalog.
After September 3, all online functionalities—including multiplayer matchmaking, leaderboards, and cloud‑saved progress—will be disabled, meaning the game will effectively become unplayable even for those who have it installed. In summary, Konami’s upcoming removal of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls reflects the natural lifecycle of subscription‑based, online‑only titles. The game enjoyed a two‑year run on Apple Arcade, during which it was refreshed with better graphics, a cleaner UI, and a microtransaction‑free model.
While the service will end, the title remains a notable entry in the Castlevania series, offering a glimpse of how classic franchises can be adapted for modern, subscription‑driven platforms. Players are encouraged to enjoy the remaining weeks of access and to keep an eye on future announcements from Konami regarding new projects and ongoing support for other titles in its portfolio.