2K has launched Small Axe Studios, a new AAA developer tasked with creating what the publisher calls its next major sports franchise. For anyone searching for 2K Small Axe Studios, the confirmed news ends there: no game title, sport, platforms, release date or licensing arrangements have been announced.
The Verge reported on August 13 that 2K described the studio’s mandate in a LinkedIn post as building its “next blockbuster sports franchise.” 2K’s official site also now lists Small Axe Studios among its studios and includes a dedicated careers page, confirming that the operation is part of the publisher’s studio roster.
Is 2K making a soccer game?
2K has not said that Small Axe Studios is making a soccer game. The Verge reported that artwork accompanying the LinkedIn post appeared to include a mock soccer badge, which prompted the inference. That is a clue, not a product announcement.
The reporting also identified soccer-game experience among the studio’s senior staff. Small Axe’s site listed Aaron McHardy as studio head; The Verge reported that McHardy previously led EA’s FIFA series, the football franchise now branded EA Sports FC. That background explains the speculation, but it does not confirm Small Axe’s project, its commercial target or any relationship to EA’s series.
There are no confirmed details in the available material on the game’s design, teams, players, league rights, business model or development schedule. 2K has also not identified where the studio is based or how large its team is.
What is confirmed about Small Axe Studios?
The available evidence establishes a few points:
- 2K has launched Small Axe Studios as a AAA development studio.
- Its stated purpose is to develop a new sports franchise for 2K.
- 2K’s website lists the studio and a Small Axe Studios careers page.
- The studio grew out of 2K Sports Lab, an initiative 2K announced in 2023, according to The Verge.
The project would sit alongside a publisher portfolio that includes NBA 2K, WWE 2K and PGA Tour 2K, which are listed on 2K’s official site. That portfolio provides context for the company’s interest in another sports property; it does not reveal what Small Axe is building.
For now, “blockbuster” is 2K’s ambition, not a description earned by a shipped game. A soccer title remains plausible based on the reported visual and hiring signals, but 2K has yet to put a name, sport or date on the work.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
