2K Sports announced on Friday (15) the creation of Small Axe Studios, a new studio in Vancouver led by Aaron McHardy, former executive producer at EA, with the mission of developing the company's "next blockbuster sports franchise" and challenging the hegemony of EA Sports FC in soccer.
McHardy worked at EA for 17 years, almost the entire period in sports franchises, with most of his time dedicated to the FIFA series, according to his LinkedIn profile. He left the company in 2023, where he had been serving as executive producer.
Official announcement
In a LinkedIn post, McHardy confirmed the creation of the studio: "Alongside 2K, I am proud to officially present Small Axe Studios. It is an honor to lead the team as we prepare to create 2K's next AAA sports game. This studio exists to face the industry's biggest challenges, and our name reflects that: with vision, ambition and focus, a small ax can bring down a big tree."
2K also released a statement on LinkedIn: "A few years ago, we created 2K Sports Lab, a project with big ambitions to explore the future of sports games. Today, we officially reveal what that project has become: Small Axe Studios, our newest AAA development studio, based in Vancouver."
The company added that the studio "combines the passion of a startup with the scale of 2K to redefine the future of sports videogames," leveraging experience with AAA franchises such as NBA 2K, WWE 2K and PGA TOUR 2K.
Potential competitor to EA Sports FC
The announcement comes at a time when EA Sports FC faces no significant competition from annualized soccer games. Konami, which competed in the market with the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, released its successor eFootball in 2021 under poor conditions, and although the game has improved and attracted an audience, it is far from being a direct rival.
There is still no confirmation that Small Axe Studios' first project will be a soccer game, but 2K already covers basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, tennis and professional wrestling, leaving soccer and American football as the most lucrative markets for expansion. Job openings on the studio's website mention creating "an exceptional, player-centered experience from scratch."
