Konami has officially confirmed that its Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls title will be taken offline 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, meaning that players will no longer be able to launch or play the experience. The company released a statement on its website explaining the decision. While acknowledging that the game has enjoyed a dedicated player base since its debut on Apple Arcade in September 2021, Konami said that it has elected to end support for the title in September.
The announcement reads, "Since its launch on Apple Arcade in September 2021, the game has continued to be supported by many players. However, we have decided to terminate the service [in September]." In the same statement, Konami extended its gratitude to the community, noting, "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." This sentiment reflects the company’s appreciation for the fans who have invested time and enthusiasm in the game over the years. Grimoire of Souls originally debuted in September 2019 as a free‑to‑play mobile title for iOS and Android, initially launching only in Canada. After a brief run, the game was discontinued a year later. Konami later revived the title by bringing it to Apple’s ecosystem—making it available on iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and macOS through the Apple Arcade subscription service.
The relaunch involved a significant overhaul: the developers stripped out all in‑game currency and micro‑transaction mechanics, redesigned several user‑interface elements, and upgraded the visual fidelity to better match modern standards. The removal of Grimoire of Souls is part of a broader wave of game shutdowns that Konami and other publishers have scheduled for the coming months. Notably, Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour is slated to cease operations in September, followed by the Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem title in October, and the Destruction AllStars service in November.
These closures illustrate a trend in the mobile and subscription‑based gaming market where titles are retired as user engagement wanes or strategic priorities shift. For players who have been enjoying Grimoire of Souls, the timeline is clear: after August 20, the game will no longer appear in the Apple Arcade library, and after September 3, any attempt to launch the game will fail. Those who have purchased in‑game items or invested time should be aware that access to those assets will be lost once the servers are shut down. Konami has not announced any compensation or migration plan for affected users, which is typical for titles that rely on server‑side infrastructure.
The original version of Grimoire of Souls was notable for its blend of classic Castlevania aesthetics with a free‑to‑play model, offering a roster of iconic characters from the franchise in a card‑based combat system. The Apple Arcade iteration removed the monetization layer, positioning the game as a premium, ad‑free experience for subscribers.
This shift was part of Apple’s broader strategy to provide high‑quality, subscription‑based games without the traditional micro‑transaction model. From a development perspective, the decision to retire the game likely reflects a combination of factors: declining active user counts, the cost of maintaining server infrastructure, and the desire to allocate resources to newer projects. As the mobile gaming landscape becomes increasingly competitive, publishers often prune older titles to focus on fresh content that can attract new subscribers and generate higher returns. Fans of the Castlevania series who enjoyed Grimoire of Souls may look forward to other upcoming releases from Konami or from third‑party developers that continue to explore the gothic, monster‑hunting themes that define the franchise.
While the shutdown marks the end of this particular incarnation, the legacy of the game—especially its unique card‑battle mechanics—remains a point of interest for enthusiasts and game historians alike. In summary, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls will be delisted from Apple Arcade on August 20 and will become completely unplayable after September 3. Konami’s statement thanks the community for their support, and the removal aligns with a series of scheduled game shutdowns across the industry.
Players should take note of the dates and understand that any progress, purchases, or data associated with the title will be lost once the service is fully terminated.