Pretty Cool Games was established 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 vision is to create a studio that operates on sustainable principles, treats its staff fairly, and directly ties employee rewards to the commercial success of its games. Shefta brings a wealth of leadership experience, having previously helmed No Brakes Games Tenerife as CEO and studio head, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat.
In addition to her industry credentials, she was recently appointed to the board of directors at TIGA and serves on the BAFTA Games Committee, roles that keep her closely connected to the broader UK games ecosystem. Dudley, a founding member of the original Human: Fall Flat team, adds a deep production pedigree. His résumé includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio, giving him a broad perspective on both large‑scale and indie development pipelines.
To get the new, fully remote UK‑based studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that securing capital in today’s climate is challenging, but the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong. She noted that the partnership with Hypergryph felt natural from the first conversation because the Chinese studio appreciated the concept for Pretty Cool’s debut title, embraced the founders’ quirky creative direction, and, importantly, shared a developer‑first mindset.
The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s inaugural game, a project that draws creative inspiration from a diverse set of sources. The team cites Nintendo’s timeless design philosophy, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven cooperative experiences (most famously Split Reality), the immersive storytelling techniques found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic cinema such as The Pink Panther. Shefta emphasizes that the goal is to craft an experience that remains memorable and enjoyable for years after players first encounter it.
“Creativity is a core pillar of our studio, and we want that creativity to flow to our players as well,” Shefta says. “By leveraging the open‑ended physics of a sandbox game and layering it with thoughtful level design and systems, we can enable countless wild and unexpected moments that encourage players to experiment and express themselves through play.” The investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to build a small, focused team that can be sustained over the long term.
Currently, the studio employs four full‑time staff members and plans to grow to ten. Upcoming hires include leads for game design, level design, environment art, and concept art. In the future, the studio intends to bring on quality‑assurance specialists and contract talent for character art, audio, user‑interface design, and a composer.
Shefta stresses that keeping the core team lean helps maintain an ambitious yet realistic scope for their projects. A key part of the studio’s ethos is fairness to employees.
Shefta points out that recent waves of layoffs across the industry have often affected developers whose games were commercially successful, highlighting a disconnect between a studio’s financial health and its treatment of staff. To counter this, Pretty Cool Games plans to implement share‑ownership schemes, ensuring that when a game performs well, the entire team benefits proportionally.
Shefta describes the studio’s ambition as “taking the best of AAA production values and marrying them with the agility of a small, focused indie team.” Her experience in AAA taught her the importance of disciplined quality control and an understanding of what makes a franchise endure. However, she also observed that massive budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult, which can threaten a studio’s longevity. By contrast, indie development allows for rapid iteration, focused experimentation, and the ability to double‑down on one or two compelling ideas. “Being part of a smaller team means every individual has a meaningful impact on the final product,” Dudley adds.
“That sense of ownership fuels creativity and makes the development process far more rewarding.” Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to put both player experience and employee wellbeing at the forefront of its mission. Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio will inevitably present obstacles, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have amassed over the years will guide them through.
By staying true to their commitment to build games “the right way,” they hope to deliver titles that are not only fun and inventive but also built on a foundation of respect for the people who create them. The studio is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its debut title, hoping to secure the resources needed to bring their ambitious vision to market while maintaining the sustainable, employee‑centric model they have championed from day one.