Konami has officially 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 company’s announcement outlines two key dates: the game will be removed from the Apple Arcade catalog on August 20, and the servers that host the online components will be shut down on September 3. After that final date, players will no longer be able to launch or enjoy the title in any capacity.
In a statement posted on Konami’s website, the publisher reflected on the game’s lifecycle 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 notice reads.
"However, we have decided to terminate the service [in September]." The tone of the message is appreciative, thanking the community for its enthusiasm over the years. "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 statement adds. To understand the context of this shutdown, it helps to look back at the game’s origins. Grimoire of Souls first appeared in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play experience for iOS and Android devices, initially released only in the Canadian market.
That early version relied on in‑game currency and microtransactions, a common monetisation model for mobile titles at the time. After roughly a year, the original mobile version was discontinued, but Konami saw an opportunity to revive the concept on Apple’s subscription platform.
When the game re‑emerged on Apple Arcade, it underwent a substantial overhaul. The developers stripped out all forms of micro‑transactions, removing the in‑game currency system entirely. They also took the chance to refine the user interface, streamline the layout, and upgrade the visual fidelity to better match the expectations of a premium, subscription‑based audience.
The result was a cleaner, more polished action‑RPG that fit comfortably alongside other high‑quality Apple Arcade offerings. Grimoire of Souls is not the only title slated for removal in the coming months.
The announcement notes that several other games are also approaching the end of their service lives. Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo’s mobile racing game, is set to cease operations in September.
Following that, Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem is scheduled for an October shutdown, and the once‑high‑profile Destruction AllStars will be taken offline in November. This wave of closures reflects a broader industry trend where publishers periodically evaluate the cost of maintaining online services against player engagement and revenue. For fans of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, the upcoming shutdown may feel disappointing, but it also serves as a reminder of the game's unique place in Konami’s catalog. The title offered a blend of classic Castlevania lore with a free‑to‑play structure, then later transitioned into a subscription‑only model that eliminated pay‑to‑win mechanics.
Its evolution illustrates how developers can adapt a franchise to different business models while preserving core gameplay elements. Players who wish to preserve their memories of the game are encouraged to capture screenshots, record gameplay footage, or write down favorite strategies before the September deadline. Once the servers are turned off, any progress, unlocks, or in‑game items will be lost permanently, as the title relied on cloud‑based storage to sync data across devices.
In summary, Konami’s decision to retire Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls from Apple Arcade will take effect with a delisting on August 20 and a complete service shutdown on September 3. The company expressed heartfelt thanks to its community, highlighted the game’s transformation from a microtransaction‑laden mobile release to a refined, ad‑free experience, and placed the closure within a larger pattern of upcoming game retirements across the mobile and subscription landscape.