2K Establishes New Sports Game Studio Led by EA Sports Veterans
2K Games has announced the formation of Small Axe Studio, a new development team comprised of several former EA Sports veterans. The studio will focus on creating AAA sports titles.
2K Games has officially announced the establishment of a new video game studio named Small Axe Studio, based in Vancouver, Canada. This new entity is dedicated to the development of AAA sports titles and is headed by a team of experienced professionals formerly associated with EA Sports.
The studio's executive lead is Aaron McHardy, who previously spent over 15 years as an executive producer with EA Sports, notably on the FIFA franchise. Small Axe Studio has evolved from 2K's prior internal initiative, Sports Lab. Other key hires include Tom Pan as head of operations, Mike Thompson as head of engineering, and John Cruz as technical art director, all bringing significant experience from EA Sports.
The formation of Small Axe Studio signals 2K's strategic expansion within the competitive sports gaming market. By leveraging the expertise of former EA Sports developers, the company aims to produce new offerings in the genre. The studio's development efforts are expected to introduce new competition and potentially new approaches to sports video games.