Grimoire of Souls to Be Delisted and Shut Down
The 12‑year wait for a new mainline Castlevania title ends on October 15, when Belmont’s Curse arrives on all major platforms. In the meantime, the spin‑off Grimoire of Souls, which has been the only way to play a Castlevania game on mobile, will disappear forever before that date.
Konami announced that Grimoire of Souls will be removed from Apple Arcade on August 20 and the service will be completely shut down on September 3, 2026. The game originally launched for iOS and Android in 2019, switched to an Apple Arcade exclusive in 2021, and has remained a paid subscription title ever since. With the subscription model, the original in‑game purchases were stripped out, and the experience now relies on online co‑op and player‑versus‑player modes.
“Since its launch, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls has continued to be supported by many players. However, we have decided to terminate the service on September 3, 2026,” Konami said in a statement. The company did not disclose how many players remain active, but the decision suggests the community is too small to justify keeping the game running.
What Is Grimoire of Souls?
Grimoire of Souls is a live‑service take on the Castlevania formula. It isn’t a traditional single‑player adventure, but it offers online co‑op missions and PvP battles, giving it a multiplayer focus that differentiates it from the main series.
The game’s transition to Apple Arcade removed its original monetization mechanics, turning it into a subscription‑only title. That shift likely contributed to dwindling interest, as players lost the ability to make optional purchases that had supported the game’s ongoing development.
Its impending closure is a stark reminder that many favorite games can vanish without warning. Recent examples include the shutdown of the cloud version of Aliens: Fireteam Elite and Square Enix’s plan to end cloud play for the Kingdom Hearts titles on Switch, both of which will become unplayable even for owners who paid for them.
