Take-Two subsidiary 2K has established Shane the Gamer in Burnaby, Metro Vancouver, building its next blockbuster sports franchise. Led by EA Sports FIFA veterans including Aaron McHardy, the new studio emerged from the 2K Sports Lab exploratory project founded in 2023.
Video game publisher 2K has officially pulled back the curtain on its newest development hub, positioning the studio in the heart of Metro Vancouver. Tasked with crafting what the Take-Two-owned publisher is calling its next blockbuster sports franchise, Small Axe Studios represents a major institutional bet on seasoned sports-game talent.
EA Sports Veterans Shape Small Axe Leadership Team
Small Axe Studios did not materialize overnight. The operation evolved out of 2K’s exploratory Sports Lab project, which was quietly established back in 2023. The initiative recruited industry veterans before blossoming into a full-scale AAA studio based in Burnaby.
The studio’s leadership roster reads like a retrospective of long-running sports franchises. At the helm is Aaron McHardy, who serves as vice president, executive producer, and studio head. McHardy brings 21 years of industry experience, including nearly two decades at Electronic Arts where he led flagship titles such as FIFA, Madden, and College Football.
McHardy is joined by design head Gary Paterson, a 22-year veteran whose background spans EA Sports FIFA, FIFA Manager, FIFA Street, and NBA Live, alongside recent leadership on the Need for Speed franchise at Criterion Games. Operations are directed by Tom Pan, who has spent 20 years guiding AAA development across sports properties including UEFA Champions League, NHL, UFC, and FIFA. Technical art direction falls to John Cruz, a 25-year industry veteran with deep roots across FIFA, FIFA Street, NBA Street, Skate, and Dead Rising. Game Developer additionally lists Mike Thompson among the senior leadership team as head of engineering.
“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.”
Aaron McHardy, Executive Producer, via Videogameschronicle
Burnaby Location Places New Studio in EA’s Backyard
Based in Burnaby, the studio sits directly in the backyard of EA Sports, which operates its own local studio in the exact same city. Several Small Axe team members previously worked side by side at EA’s Burnaby campus before migrating across town to the rival publisher.
As EA Sports FC continues its run in Vancouver, 2K’s new outpost aims to harness that specific institutional knowledge.
“As part of our commitment to investing in new IP and growing our sports portfolio, we are thrilled to confirm that Small Axe Studios will endeavor to build 2K’s next blockbuster sports franchise.”
2K spokesperson, via Daily Hive
The publisher added that the team combines the passion of a startup with the scale of 2K to redefine the future of sports video games, though neither 2K nor its leadership has publicly named the specific sport or league the studio is currently developing.
Expansion Amid Portfolio Restructuring Across Parent Studios
The launch of Small Axe Studios marks the second new team established under the 2K umbrella within a year, following Take-Two’s recruitment of developers from the Perfect Dark reboot in December 2025. Yet this localized expansion arrives against a backdrop of wider organizational adjustments across related studios.
Industry reporting notes that while Small Axe has scaled up its operations in Vancouver, workforce reductions have impacted other corners of the publisher’s network. The free-to-play shooter project at 31st Union saw layoffs in May, and Visual Concepts experienced staff reductions shortly afterward.
