Activision closing UK-based Call of Duty mobile studio

The Blast Furnace, the Leeds, U.K.-based Activision subsidiary that was created to develop mobile games, will close its doors by the end of this month, Activision confirmed to MCV.

The decision follows a 30-day consultation period with The Blast Furnace's 47 employees, as required by U.K. law. "As we focus on our 2014 operating plan, we are aligning our resources against our anticipated business requirements," an Activision representative told Polygon in January. "We are exploring all our options regarding [The Blast Furnace]."

In a statement to MCV, Activision said it had been unable to figure out a plan that would prevent the closure of The Blast Furnace, after "having explored a range of options, including a potential sale of the business." The consultation period has concluded, but Activision said it will continue to work with officials at The Blast Furnace to try to move some of its employees elsewhere "within Activision and its related organizations" rather than lay them off.

The Blast Furnace began in November 2011 as Activision Leeds, and had been operating under its current name since August 2012. The studio's projects include a mobile version of Pitfall! and a mobile Call of Duty title, Call of Duty: Strike Team, that was released last year. The shutdown of The Blast Furnace leaves Activision with one extant studio in the U.K. — FreeStyleGames, the company behind the DJ Hero series.