Pretty Cool Games has been launched by two seasoned veterans of the hit title Human: Fall Flat – Sitara Shefta, who now serves as chief executive officer, and Will Dudley, the chief creative officer. Their shared ambition is to build a studio that operates on sustainable principles, treats its staff fairly, and shares the financial rewards of success with the whole team. Shefta brings a wealth of leadership experience to the venture.
She previously held the position of CEO and studio head at No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat. In addition to her industry résumé, she was recently appointed to the Board of Directors at TIGA and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a voice in broader policy and advocacy matters within the UK games sector. Dudley, the studio’s CCO, was part of the original Human: Fall Flat team and has a résumé that spans several high‑profile developers, including Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio.
His diverse background in both indie and AAA environments informs the studio’s hybrid approach to game creation. To get the fully remote, UK‑based operation off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed amount of capital from Hypergryph, the Chinese developer best known for the mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that while raising investment is challenging in the current climate, the appetite for fresh, inventive games remains strong.
"From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked. They loved our concept, backed our long‑term vision, and embraced our off‑beat ideas.
The fact that they are developers themselves, now supporting other studios, made them a perfect partner for us," she said. According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be poured into the studio’s debut title. The game draws creative inspiration from a wide array of sources: the playful spirit of Nintendo, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight (the creators of It Takes Two), the immersive, narrative‑driven attractions found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as The Pink Panther.
"We want to craft something that stays with players for years, a memorable, timeless experience that brings a smile every time they think back to it," she emphasized. Creative freedom sits at the heart of the studio’s philosophy.
Shefta explained that the upcoming title will give players a sandbox of physics‑based interaction, combined with carefully designed systems and levels that encourage wild, unexpected outcomes. "Our aim is to let players express themselves through play, to experiment, to cause chaos, and to discover joy in the unpredictable," she added. The Hypergryph investment also enables Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta hopes will remain stable over the long term. At present the studio employs four full‑time staff members, and plans are already in place to grow to ten.
Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist. In the future the studio intends to bring on quality‑assurance personnel and contract specialists for character art, audio, user interface work, and a composer. Shefta stressed that keeping the core team lean allows the studio to be ambitious yet realistic about scope. "We want to build a sustainable operation that treats employees fairly.
Recent layoffs across the industry have shown that success does not always translate into job security for developers. We are experimenting with share‑scheme models so that when a game does well, the whole team benefits together," she said. Her long‑term goal is to combine the best practices of AAA production—rigorous quality standards and an understanding of what makes a franchise successful—with the agility and experimental mindset of a smaller indie outfit.
"Working in AAA taught me the importance of discipline and quality, but also exposed me to wasteful spending and the difficulty of recouping massive budgets. Indie development lets you iterate quickly, focus on a few core ideas, and bring something special to market without the overhead of a blockbuster," Shefta reflected. She also highlighted the creative empowerment that comes from being part of a small team.
"When the team is small, each person has a real influence on the direction of the game. That sense of ownership is incredibly motivating for us as creators," she noted.
Ultimately, Shefta’s vision for Pretty Cool Games is a studio that puts the player experience and employee wellbeing at the forefront. She acknowledges that launching a new studio will inevitably bring challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have accumulated over the years will guide them. "We will stay true to our commitment to build games the right way, learning from the past and staying focused on what matters most: fun, creativity, and a fair, supportive workplace for our team," she concluded. The studio is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its first title, aiming to bring its unique blend of humor, physics‑based gameplay, and narrative charm to a global audience while maintaining the ethical and sustainable values that define its core mission.