Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls disappears on September 3
Credit: Crédit : Konami

Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls disappears on September 3

Fabian Fabian Lainé
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In brief

Konami is permanently shutting down Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls on September 3, 2026. The game will disappear from Apple Arcade with no way to relaunch it after that date, even for subscribers since 2021, and no offline version will be offered.

Konami is removing Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls from Apple Arcade on August 20 and will permanently shut down its service on September 3, 2026, Pacific time. After that date, no one will be able to play it anymore — including those who have had access since 2021.

The publisher posted the notice on the game's official website on August 16, without giving any reason, and simply thanks players for their support. Not a word about a possible offline version, or about the fate of save data.

A second death for a game that had already known one

Grimoire of Souls originally launched in September 2019 on iOS and Android, but only in Canada, before being delisted a year later. Konami brought it back in September 2021 as an Apple Arcade exclusive, with reworked graphics and models and, above all, without a single microtransaction. The game brought together Alucard, Simon Belmont, and Maria Renard in a two-dimensional action-platformer with a classic-episode flavor.

The painful part: the title is entirely dependent on its servers. Unlike a Symphony of the Night bought on a storefront, there will be no legal way to play it come September 4. This is exactly the scenario denounced by the Stop Killing Games movement, and it comes at the worst possible time for Konami, which had just brought the franchise back into the spotlight with Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, due out on October 15.

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Frequently asked questions

When exactly does the game shut down?
On September 3, 2026, at midnight Pacific Time. After that date, even Apple Arcade subscribers will no longer be able to access it.
Will there be a downloadable or offline version?
No. Konami has not mentioned any alternative, and the game relies entirely on its servers to function.
Why is Konami shutting down the game?
The publisher gave no official reason, simply thanking players in its August 16 statement.
What happens to players' save data?
Konami has not commented on the fate of saved data. It is likely that it will be permanently lost.

Key takeaways

  • The game will become completely inaccessible after September 3, 2026, due to the end of network support.
  • Konami has given no explanation and refuses to offer an offline version.
  • This is the title's second death, having already been pulled from mobile stores in 2020 before arriving on Apple Arcade in 2021.
  • This scenario embodies exactly the fears raised by the Stop Killing Games movement about the disappearance of digital games.
  • The timing is bad for Konami, which is relaunching the franchise with Castlevania: Belmont's Curse in October.

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