2K Games is launching Small Axe Studios, a new internal developer tasked with building a blockbuster sports franchise. While 2K has not officially named the sport, hiring patterns and industry signals point directly at soccer.
The studio's leadership roster screams soccer expertise. Aaron McHardy leads Small Axe as studio head after spending 15 years running EA's FIFA franchise. Joining him are Gary Peterson (design head), Tom Pan (operations), John Cruz (technical art director), and Mike Thompson (engineering lead). All came from EA Sports.
This hiring blitz represents a direct raid on the FIFA team, which EA rebranded to EA Sports FC in 2023 after losing the FIFA license. The strategic timing matters. EA Sports FC launched without the FIFA brand but retained its core player base and $4 billion annual revenue. 2K entering the soccer space would challenge EA's dominance for the first time in decades.
2K already owns major sports franchises. NBA 2K remains the industry's most dominant basketball series, generating billions annually. WWE 2K controls professional wrestling games. PGA Tour enters golf. Adding soccer would round out 2K's portfolio across the biggest global sports.
Small Axe's formation signals Take-Two's willingness to invest heavily in sports gaming. The publisher sees untapped value in breaking EA's soccer monopoly. FIFA games sold over 325 million copies across its 30-year run. Even capturing a fraction of that market creates enormous revenue potential.
EA Sports FC currently has no competition in the premium annual soccer space. Indie titles like eFootball (Konami's free-to-play offering) exist but lack the marketing muscle and licensing agreements that premium releases command. 2K's resources, combined with McHardy's two decades of FIFA expertise, position Small Axe as a legitimate threat.