2K Sports has announced the formation of Small Axe Studios, a new development team based in Vancouver tasked with creating the company's "next blockbuster sports franchise." This move signals a potential new challenger in the sports gaming market, particularly for EA Sports FC, which has seen limited competition in the football (soccer) genre in recent years.
Leading Small Axe Studios is Aaron McHardy, who spent 17 years at EA, with a significant portion of that time dedicated to the FIFA series, where he served as an executive producer before departing in 2023. McHardy expressed his vision for the new studio, stating on LinkedIn that its purpose is to "take on the industry's boldest challenges." He added, "with vision, hunger, and focus, a small axe can take down a big tree."
2K stated that Small Axe Studios evolved from its earlier "2K Sports Lab" project, which aimed to explore future directions in sports gaming. The studio aims to blend the agility of a startup with the resources of 2K, leveraging the company's experience with existing franchises such as NBA 2K, WWE 2K, and PGA TOUR 2K. Job postings for Small Axe Studios indicate a focus on building an "exceptional, player-first experience from the ground up."
The football video game landscape has been dominated by EA's FIFA series, now rebranded as EA Sports FC, for years. While Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, now eFootball, once provided competition, the rivalry became increasingly one-sided. Despite eFootball's improvements and a reportedly growing audience, EA Sports FC has not faced a direct, annualized blockbuster competitor in the football genre for some time.
While 2K has not explicitly confirmed that the new franchise will be a football game, the note suggests it as a likely avenue, given the company's existing presence in basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, tennis, and wrestling. Developing a major football title would fill a notable gap in their sports portfolio and address a segment of the market currently lacking significant competition.