Take-Two Interactive has opened a new Vancouver-based studio, Small Axe Studios, staffed with veterans from EA Sports FC and FIFA, as it aims to 'redefine the future' of sports video games. The announcement, made via a LinkedIn post, signals a potential new rival to EA Sports FC, which has dominated the football simulation market since the decline of Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer.
New Studio Led by EA Veterans
Small Axe Studios is led by Aaron McHardy, who previously served as an executive producer at EA Vancouver across EA Sports FC, Madden, and EA College Football. McHardy spent almost 18 years at EA. The studio's team includes Gary Paterson, head of design, who previously worked on EA Sports FC/FIFA, FIFA Manager, and FIFA Street, and Tom Pan, head of operations, who last worked as Group Development Director at EA on FIFA games.
According to the LinkedIn post, the studio is building 2K's 'next blockbuster sports franchise', combining 'the passion of a startup with the scale of 2K to redefine the future of sports video games.' McHardy added, 'This studio exists to take on the industry's boldest challenges, and our name reflects that: with vision, hunger, and focus, a small axe can take down a big tree.'
Potential Football Focus
While the specific sport has not been confirmed, the studio's logo resembles a football club badge on a shirt, and many team members have a history with football games. The move comes as EA Sports FC, rebranded after EA refused to continue paying for the FIFA name, has dominated the market. Since FIFA ended its partnership with EA in 2023, it has partnered with other developers on officially licensed titles like FIFA Heroes and FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition for Netflix. However, Defactor Games, the developer of FIFA World Cup, has since had 85% of its workforce cut and its funding pulled.
FIFA License Complexities
For years, Take-Two has been rumoured to be in talks with FIFA about using the name for a new football game. In 2024, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick downplayed the idea, citing complexities with the license. 'I would just note with regards to the FIFA license, it does not bring along with it rights; it doesn't come along with players, teams, or leagues,' Zelnick said. 'So it's not as simple, for example, as negotiating with the NFL, or the NBA, or MLB, where at most you have to negotiate with a league and a player's association.'
Zelnick added, 'So anyone who would want to compete in the straight ahead sim environment for soccer… you wouldn't just have to address one particular brand license, there's a whole lot more than that.' This explains why EA declined to pay FIFA $1 billion for the naming rights, and why the rebranded EA Sports FC remained essentially the same game.
What's Next
It remains unclear if 2K has secured a partnership with FIFA, is developing a competitor independently, or is working on something else entirely. Given the studio's recent announcement, any rival game is likely several years away. EA Sports FC 27 is scheduled to launch on September 25, 2026.
