2K has unveiled Small Axe Studios, a new triple-A sports studio in Vancouver led by former EA Sports FIFA executive producer Aaron McHardy, who is tasked with building 2K‘s “next blockbuster sports franchise”.
Small Axe grew out of 2K Sports Lab, an exploratory project the publisher started in 2023. The company says the studio combines “the passion of a startup with the scale of 2K to redefine the future of sports video games”, per its official studio page.
Who runs Small Axe Studios?
The senior team is an EA Sports reunion. McHardy served as executive producer on the FIFA series for more than 15 years until 2021. Design head Gary Peterson’s credits run back to FIFA 06, while head of operations Tom Pan, engineering lead Mike Thompson and technical art director John Cruz each bring around 20 years of EA Sports experience.
The studio is based in Vancouver, the same city where EA makes its FC games.
“This studio exists to take on the industry’s boldest challenges, and our name reflects that: with vision, hunger, and focus, a small axe can take down a big tree.”
Aaron McHardy, studio head and executive producer, Small Axe Studios
Is Small Axe making a football game?
2K has not named a sport. The studio’s logo — a football club-style crest worn on a shirt — is doing the talking.
A football game would put 2K against EA Sports FC 26, the series that replaced FIFA after the governing body and EA split in 2023. FIFA has since partnered on mobile titles, including a Netflix-produced game, but still has no triple-A console release of its own. 2K already runs NBA 2K27, WWE 2K and PGA Tour 2K, and Take-Two has a history of bidding against EA for major sporting rights.
None of this confirms a football game. But a studio full of FIFA veterans, wearing a football badge on its shirts, has not been assembled to make a golf sim.
What is Small Axe Studios?
It is 2K’s newest AAA development studio, based in Vancouver and led by former EA Sports FIFA executive producer Aaron McHardy. It grew out of 2K’s Sports Lab project and is charged with building the publisher’s next blockbuster sports franchise.
What game is Small Axe Studios making?
No sport or title has been announced. The studio’s logo — a football club-style crest worn on a shirt — has most observers expecting a football game that would compete directly with EA Sports FC.
Why is Small Axe Studios based in Vancouver?
Vancouver is where EA makes its FC games, so the city holds a deep pool of experienced sports-game developers — many of whom now work for Small Axe.
