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 removal process will occur in two stages: first, the game will be stripped from the Apple Arcade catalog on August 20, and then, on September 3, the servers that power the experience will be shut down, rendering the game unplayable for anyone who has not already downloaded it.
In a statement posted on Konami’s website, the company reflected on the game’s lifecycle. "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 developers 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 originally debuted in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play mobile game available on iOS and Android, but only in the Canadian market. The initial version featured a traditional mobile monetisation model, including in‑game currency and microtransactions. After roughly a year, that version was discontinued, and Konami re‑imagined the game for Apple’s subscription service, Apple Arcade. In September 2021, the revamped title launched across iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and macOS, this time as a premium, ad‑free experience without any microtransactions.
The re‑release also brought a visual overhaul, with higher‑resolution assets, refined user interfaces, and smoother performance on Apple hardware. The decision to pull the game now aligns with a broader trend in the industry: several subscription‑based or live‑service titles are being phased out as their player bases dwindle or as companies shift resources toward newer projects. In the coming months, other games are slated for similar fates.
Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour is set to cease operations in September, followed by Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem in October, and finally, the arcade‑style racer Destruction AllStars, which will close its doors in November. For fans of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, the upcoming shutdown means that any progress, unlocked characters, or saved data stored on Konami’s servers will be lost after September 3. Players who wish to preserve a copy of the game should ensure they have it downloaded before the delisting date, although the offline functionality will still be unavailable once the servers are turned off. This mirrors the typical lifecycle of many live‑service games, where the online component is essential for core gameplay features such as matchmaking, leaderboards, and content updates.
While the end of Grimoire of Souls may be disappointing for its dedicated community, the title’s legacy includes several notable achievements. It introduced a roster of classic Castlevania characters—such as Simon Belmont, Alucard, and Richter—into a collectible‑card‑style format, allowing players to assemble teams and battle through procedurally generated dungeons. The game’s blend of familiar gothic aesthetics with modern mobile‑friendly mechanics earned it a modest but loyal following.
Moreover, the transition from a free‑to‑play model to a premium, subscription‑based offering demonstrated Konami’s willingness to experiment with different monetisation strategies within the franchise. Looking ahead, Konami has not disclosed any immediate replacements for Grimoire of Souls on Apple Arcade, but the company continues to develop new titles across its portfolio, including entries in the Metal Gear, Silent Hill, and newer Castlevania projects. Fans can stay tuned to official channels for announcements about upcoming releases or potential revivals of beloved series in different formats. In summary, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be removed from Apple Arcade on August 20, and its online services will be terminated on September 3, after which the game will no longer be playable.
Konami expressed sincere thanks to its player base for their support over the years, and the shutdown is part of a larger wave of service terminations affecting several other mobile and arcade titles in the near future.