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 company’s Chief Creative Officer. Their shared ambition is to build a studio that not only produces entertaining games but also operates on a sustainable, employee‑friendly model that rewards staff when the company succeeds.
Shefta brings a wealth of leadership experience to the new venture. Before co‑founding Pretty Cool Games, she was the CEO and studio head of No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat. Her industry involvement extends beyond studio work; she has recently been elected to the Board of Directors of TIGA (The Independent Game Developers’ Association) and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, where she helps shape policy and recognize excellence across the UK games sector.
Will Dudley, the studio’s creative lead, was one of the original members of the Human: Fall Flat team. His résumé includes stints at several high‑profile developers, such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio. This blend of indie agility and AAA pedigree gives the pair a unique perspective on how to balance ambitious design with realistic production pipelines. To get the UK‑based, fully remote studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Hypergryph, the Chinese studio best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield.
Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that, despite the current difficulty in raising capital, the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked.
They loved the concept for our first game, embraced our long‑term studio vision, and were enthusiastic about our off‑beat ideas. It was refreshing to partner with a developer who is now supporting other developers, and we wanted a partner who shared our excitement," she said. The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s debut title, a project that draws inspiration from a diverse set of sources: the whimsical charm of Nintendo’s catalog, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight Studios (the creators of It Takes Two), the immersive, narrative‑driven experiences found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films like The Pink Panther. Shefta emphasized the team’s desire to craft something that endures: "We aim to make a game that is memorable, timeless, and so much fun that players recall it with delight years after they first played it." Creative freedom sits at the heart of Pretty Cool Games’ philosophy.
The upcoming title will give players a sandbox of physics‑based interactions, encouraging them to experiment and express themselves through play. "Our level design and systems are built to produce wild, unexpected scenarios, letting players discover their own solutions and laugh at the absurd outcomes," Shefta added. The Hypergryph investment also enables the studio to grow a small, focused team that Shefta hopes will remain sustainable over the long term. Currently, Pretty Cool Games employs four full‑time staff members, but plans are already in motion to expand to ten.
Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist. Additional contract roles are slated for quality assurance, character art, audio design, UI, and a composer. "We keep the core team lean, aiming for ambitious yet practical scope," Shefta explained.
"We want a studio that treats its employees fairly. Recent industry layoffs have shown that success doesn’t always translate into job security, so we’re designing share‑scheme incentives so that when our games do well, the whole team benefits." Shefta’s vision for Pretty Cool Games is to blend the best practices of AAA development—rigorous quality standards, strong brand building, and polished production values—with the agility and experimental spirit of indie studios. "Working in AAA taught me the importance of discipline and what makes an IP successful, but the massive budgets often lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult.
Indie development, by contrast, allows for rapid iteration and a focus on what feels right. By honing in on one or two core ideas, you can create something truly special," she reflected. Being part of a smaller team also means each member has a larger influence on the final product, a factor that Shefta finds creatively fulfilling. "When everyone can shape the game, the work feels more meaningful," she noted.
Ultimately, the studio’s guiding principle is to put both player experience and employee wellbeing at the forefront. "There will always be challenges when launching a new studio, but we’ll draw on the extensive experience we’ve accumulated over the years and stay committed to building games the right way," Shefta concluded.
Pretty Cool Games 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 heartfelt design to a global audience. The team’s commitment to fairness, creativity, and sustainable growth sets a hopeful example for the broader industry as it navigates an era of rapid change and evolving player expectations.