2K has recently established Small Axe Studios, a top-tier development team located in Vancouver, Canada.
Headed by Aaron McHardy, the studio is currently working on 2K’s upcoming sports franchise and is actively seeking talented individuals for key roles.
McHardy holds the positions of head of studio, vice president, and executive producer within the company.
The studio’s leadership team comprises Gary Paterson (head of design), Tom Pan (head of operations), Mike Thompson (head of engineering), Brent Breedveld (animation director), Karl Gryc (art director), John Cruz (technical art director), and Trisha MacWan (head of HR).
Prior to this role, McHardy led the EA Sports FIFA team for a remarkable 15 years until 2021. Notably, other EA veterans on the team include Paterson, Pan, Thompson, and Cruz.
Small Axe Studios originated from 2K Sports Lab, which was established in 2023 and focused on researching and developing future sports interactive entertainment games.
“The studio combines the enthusiasm of a startup with the resources of 2K to redefine the landscape of sports video games,” as stated by 2K.
“Drawing on our extensive experience with AAA franchises like NBA 2K, WWE 2K, and PGA Tour 2K, Small Axe Studios is well-equipped and committed to achieving this goal in the long term.”
McHardy also mentioned, “This studio is here to tackle the most ambitious challenges in the industry, and our name reflects that: with vision, determination, and focus, even a small axe can bring down a mighty tree.”
“I am immensely proud of the team we have assembled thus far, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.”