Konami has officially confirmed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be taken offline next month, bringing an end to the game’s presence on Apple Arcade. The service will first remove the game from the Apple Arcade catalog on August 20, after which the title will become completely inaccessible on September 3, at which point it will no longer be playable by anyone.
In a statement posted on Konami’s website, the company reflected on the game’s lifespan and the decision to discontinue it. "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 announcement also included a note of thanks to the 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 company added. Grimoire of Souls originally debuted in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play mobile title for iOS and Android, but only in the Canadian market. After a year of limited availability, Konami withdrew the game from those platforms. The title was later resurrected as an Apple Arcade exclusive, expanding its reach to iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices.
In the process of the relaunch, Konami eliminated the in‑game currency system and any micro‑transaction mechanics, overhauled the user interface, and upgraded the visual fidelity to better suit the Apple ecosystem. The decision to retire Grimoire of Souls follows a broader trend of games reaching the end of their service life on subscription platforms. Konami is not alone in this regard; several other titles are slated for shutdown in the coming months.
Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour is scheduled to cease operations in September, followed by Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem in October, and Sony’s Destruction AllStars in November. These closures illustrate the shifting priorities of developers and publishers as they evaluate the cost‑benefit balance of maintaining online services for niche or aging titles. For players who have invested time in Grimoire of Souls, the upcoming removal may feel abrupt, but the company’s statement suggests that the decision was made after careful consideration of ongoing support requirements versus player engagement.
The removal from the Apple Arcade storefront on August 20 means that new users will no longer be able to download the game, while the final shutdown on September 3 will disconnect all servers, effectively rendering the game unplayable even for those who have it installed locally. The original free‑to‑play version of Grimoire of Souls featured a roster of classic Castlevania characters, each with unique abilities and playstyles, set within a cooperative dungeon‑crawling framework. The Apple Arcade iteration retained the core gameplay loop but presented it in a premium, ad‑free environment, aligning with the subscription model’s promise of a curated, high‑quality experience. By removing micro‑transactions, Konami aimed to provide a more balanced and accessible experience for all players, regardless of spending habits.
From a technical perspective, the shutdown will involve deactivating backend services such as matchmaking, cloud saves, and any online leaderboards. Players who wish to preserve their progress may need to capture screenshots or record gameplay before the final cutoff, as there will be no official method to retrieve saved data after the servers go dark. While the end of Grimoire of Souls marks the conclusion of its lifecycle on Apple Arcade, the title remains a notable entry in the broader Castlevania franchise.
It demonstrated how classic IPs could be reimagined for modern, subscription‑based platforms, and it offered a glimpse into how legacy series might evolve in a mobile‑first world. Fans of the series can look forward to future Castlevania projects that may adopt new distribution models, potentially learning from the successes and challenges experienced by Grimoire of Souls. In summary, Konami’s announcement signals the imminent removal of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls from Apple Arcade, with a delisting date of August 20 and a complete service shutdown on September 3.
The company expressed sincere appreciation for its player base, and the move aligns with a series of upcoming game closures across various platforms. Players are encouraged to enjoy the remaining weeks of access while the game is still online, and to keep an eye on future Castlevania releases that may continue the legacy in fresh and innovative ways.