Konami has made public its plan to retire the title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls next month, ending its availability on Apple Arcade. The game will be taken off the subscription platform on August 20, after which it will cease all online functionality on September 3, rendering it unplayable for anyone who has not already downloaded it. In an official statement posted on the company’s website, Konami reflected on the title’s journey 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 statement read.
"However, we have decided to terminate the service [in September]." The publisher also took the opportunity to thank its community. "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 notice added. Grimoire of Souls originally arrived in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play offering for iOS and Android devices in Canada.
After a brief run, the mobile version was discontinued a year later. Konami then re‑introduced the game as part of Apple Arcade, expanding its reach to iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The Apple Arcade incarnation was stripped of its original in‑game currency and micro‑transaction model, and it received a visual overhaul that improved textures, lighting, and overall graphical fidelity. Layouts were also refined to better suit the larger screens and controller inputs typical of Apple’s ecosystem.
The decision to pull the title aligns with a broader trend of older live‑service games winding down as their player bases shrink and maintenance costs rise. Konami indicated that Grimoire of Souls is one of several titles slated for decommissioning in the near future. Notably, Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour is set to close its servers in September, followed by Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem in October, and Sony’s Destruction AllStars in November.
For fans of the Castlevania franchise, Grimoire of Souls offered a unique spin on the classic vampire‑hunting lore. Instead of focusing on a single protagonist, the game let players collect and command a roster of iconic characters from the series, each with distinct abilities and playstyles. The title blended action‑RPG mechanics with a card‑collecting system, allowing players to assemble teams, upgrade equipment, and tackle a variety of dungeons and boss encounters. While the original free‑to‑play version relied heavily on micro‑transactions to acquire new characters and power‑ups, the Apple Arcade version removed that monetisation layer, positioning the experience as a fully unlocked, premium offering for subscribers.
The removal of Grimoire of Souls from Apple Arcade will affect both new and existing users. Those who have already downloaded the game will retain the ability to play it offline until the September 3 shutdown, after which the app will no longer function because it depends on server‑side authentication and periodic content updates. Players who have not yet installed the title will lose the chance to experience it entirely, as the delisting on August 20 means it will disappear from the Apple Arcade catalog and can no longer be added to personal libraries.
Konami’s announcement underscores the challenges faced by live‑service titles on subscription platforms. While Apple Arcade provides a curated environment free of intrusive ads and in‑app purchases, developers still need to allocate resources for ongoing server maintenance, bug fixes, and content refreshes. When a game’s active community diminishes, the cost‑benefit analysis often leads to a decision to sunset the service.
The company’s statement did not elaborate on any plans to preserve the game’s content in an archival form or to make it available through alternative distribution channels. As a result, the only remaining way to experience Grimoire of Souls after the shutdown will be through personal recordings, gameplay videos, or third‑party retrospectives. In summary, Konami’s forthcoming removal of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls from Apple Arcade marks the end of a six‑year lifecycle that began with a mobile free‑to‑play launch, transitioned to a premium subscription model, and ultimately concluded with a full service termination.
The move reflects broader industry patterns where publishers retire older online titles to focus resources on newer projects and emerging platforms. Players are encouraged to savor the remaining days of the game, download any desired content before August 20, and cherish the memories of battling alongside classic Castlevania heroes in a uniquely curated arcade experience.