2K has launched a new sports game studio. On the 14th, the company announced the establishment of Small Axe Studios in Vancouver, Canada. The new studio is a formal expansion of '2K Sports Lab,' an internal research organization created in 2023.

The studio is led by Aaron McHardy, Vice President and Executive Producer at 2K. McHardy previously served as Executive Producer for the 'FIFA' series at EA Vancouver and later oversaw the 'Madden' and 'College Football' franchises. He joined 2K in March 2023 after spending approximately 18 years at EA.

Key leadership roles are also filled by EA Sports veterans. Design Director Gary Paterson is a long-time contributor to the 'FIFA' series, having served as Creative Director for 'FIFA Street.' Head of Operations Tom Pan, Head of Engineering Mike Thompson, and Technical Art Director John Cruz also previously worked at EA.

2K stated that the studio is currently developing its next major sports franchise, aiming to redefine the direction of sports games by combining the agility of a startup with the scale of 2K. However, the company did not disclose which sport the game will feature.

International media outlets are speculating about the possibility of a soccer game. This speculation is fueled by the fact that Vancouver is the home of EA's 'EA Sports FC' development, and the studio's logo resembles an emblem found on soccer jerseys. EA announced its split from FIFA in 2022, rebranding its series to 'EA Sports FC' following 'FIFA 23.' While FIFA has expressed its intention to continue developing its own games, it has yet to release a major console title.

2K stated that it will share more details about the studio's ongoing projects at a later date.