Konami has officially confirmed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will cease operations next month, marking the end of the game’s presence on Apple Arcade. The service will first remove the game from the Apple Arcade catalogue on August 20, after which the title will become completely inaccessible on September 3, at which point 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 and the 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 developer also took the opportunity to thank the community that had kept the game alive for several 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 message added. To understand why this shutdown matters, it helps to look back at the game’s origins. Grimoire of Souls first appeared in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play mobile title available on iOS and Android, initially released only in Canada. The original version featured a traditional free‑to‑play economy, complete with in‑game currency, micro‑transactions, and a monetisation model that encouraged players to spend real money for upgrades and cosmetics.
After roughly a year on the mobile market, the game was discontinued in its original form. Konami then chose to revive the title in a different context: as a premium, ad‑free experience on Apple Arcade. The relaunch, which took place in September 2021, brought the game to a broader range of Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPadOS, tvOS, and macOS. In the process, the company stripped out all in‑game purchases and virtual currency, re‑designed the user interface for larger screens, and upgraded the visual fidelity to take advantage of Apple’s hardware capabilities.
These changes were intended to align the title with Apple Arcade’s subscription‑based, no‑ads philosophy. Despite the overhaul, the game’s player base remained relatively niche compared to Konami’s flagship franchises. Over the years, the title maintained a modest but dedicated community of fans who appreciated its blend of classic Castlevania lore with a card‑collecting mechanic that allowed players to assemble decks of iconic characters and weapons.
The game’s core loop involved exploring procedurally generated dungeons, battling familiar monsters from the series, and unlocking new cards to strengthen one’s roster. The decision to pull the title from Apple Arcade and shut it down entirely is part of a broader trend in the industry, where subscription services periodically prune their libraries to make room for newer offerings or to reduce operational costs.
Grimoire of Souls joins a short list of games slated for removal in the coming months. For example, the popular racing title Mario Kart Tour is scheduled to end service in September, followed by the cartoon‑themed shooter Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem in October, and the vehicular combat game Destruction AllStars in November. For players who have invested time in Grimoire of Souls, the shutdown means that any progress, unlocked cards, or achievements will become inaccessible after September 3.
Because the game was a subscription‑based, cloud‑dependent service, there is no offline mode or way to preserve a local copy of the game files. Konami has not announced any compensation or alternative means for players to retain their collections. Looking ahead, the removal of Grimoire of Souls underscores the transient nature of digital‑only titles, especially those tied to subscription platforms.
While Apple Arcade has provided a venue for developers to experiment with new formats without the pressure of direct sales, the lifecycle of each title remains at the discretion of both the publisher and the platform. For fans of the Castlevania series, the news may be disappointing, but the franchise continues to thrive through other releases, including recent entries on consoles and the upcoming mobile spin‑off that promises a more traditional action‑RPG experience. In summary, Konami’s Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be delisted from Apple Arcade on August 20 and will cease to function entirely on September 3.
The company expressed gratitude to its players, reflected on the game’s evolution from a free‑to‑play mobile app to a premium Apple Arcade exclusive, and placed the shutdown within a larger pattern of service terminations affecting several other titles in the near future. Players are encouraged to enjoy the game while it remains available and to keep an eye on Konami’s future announcements for new ways to experience the iconic Castlevania universe.