Konami has officially confirmed that its title Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be taken offline next month, marking the end of its availability on the Apple Arcade platform. The game, which has been a part of the Apple Arcade catalog since its debut in September 2021, will be removed from the service on August 20. After that date, the title will no longer be accessible to new or existing players, and the servers that support its online features will be permanently shut down on September 3, rendering the game completely unplayable.
In a statement posted on Konami's official 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 heartfelt thank‑you 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." 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 title for iOS and Android devices, initially released only in Canada.
That early version featured in‑game currency, microtransactions, and a monetisation model that many mobile gamers were accustomed to. After roughly a year, Konami decided to pull the mobile version from the market, citing strategic shifts and the desire to re‑imagine the experience. The next major milestone came when the game was resurrected as an exclusive for Apple Arcade, launching across iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
This relaunch was more than a simple port; Konami stripped out the original microtransaction system, removed the in‑game currency, and re‑designed the user interface to better fit the premium, subscription‑based model of Apple Arcade. In addition, the graphics received a substantial overhaul, with higher‑resolution textures, refined lighting, and smoother animations that took advantage of Apple’s hardware capabilities. These changes were intended to provide a more cohesive, ad‑free experience that aligned with the expectations of Apple Arcade subscribers. Despite the improvements, the title faced the same challenges that many niche, subscription‑only games encounter: a limited player base and the ongoing costs of maintaining online infrastructure.
As the service’s subscription model evolved, Konami evaluated the performance and community engagement of each title in its lineup. Grimoire of Souls, while beloved by a dedicated core of fans, did not generate the level of sustained activity required to justify continued server support. The decision to shut down the game is part of a broader trend within the industry, where several titles are being retired as platforms consolidate their offerings.
In the same announcement window, Konami also referenced other upcoming closures: Mario Kart Tour is slated to cease operations in September, Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem will follow in October, and Destruction AllStars is scheduled for a November shutdown. These moves reflect a strategic shift toward focusing resources on newer projects and titles with higher growth potential. For players who have invested time in Grimoire of Souls, the shutdown may feel abrupt. However, Konami has encouraged fans to download any saved data they wish to keep before the August 20 delisting, as once the game is removed from Apple Arcade, there will be no further opportunity to retrieve progress or in‑game assets.
The company also hinted that it may consider preserving certain aspects of the game’s legacy through future compilations or as part of a broader Castlevania anthology, though no concrete plans have been announced. 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’s statement thanked the community for their support and explained that the decision was made after careful consideration of the game's performance and the broader direction of the company's portfolio. The shutdown is part of a series of upcoming closures affecting several other titles, signaling a period of transition for Konami as it reallocates resources toward new ventures while saying farewell to a select group of legacy games.