Pretty Cool Games was founded by two 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 ambition is to build a studio that treats its staff fairly, offers long‑term stability, and shares the rewards of success with the people who create the games. Shefta brings a wealth of leadership experience to the venture.
She previously ran No Brakes Games Tenerife as CEO and studio head, where she oversaw the development of Human : Fall Flat. In addition to her industry résumé, she was recently appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and holds a seat on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a voice in shaping the broader gaming ecosystem. Dudley, the studio’s CCO, was an original member of the Human : Fall Flat team and has a résumé that spans several high‑profile developers. He has worked at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio, gaining insight into both large‑scale productions and more intimate, experimental projects.
To get the new, fully remote UK studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Hypergryph, the Chinese developer best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta told GamesIndustry.biz that raising capital is currently difficult, but she believes the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked," Shefta explained. "They loved the concept we were pitching, they backed our long‑term studio vision, and they embraced our off‑beat ideas.
The fact that they are developers themselves, now supporting other studios, made them stand out. We wanted a partner who was as enthusiastic about our ambitions as we are." According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be poured into the studio’s debut title. The game draws creative inspiration from a variety of sources: Nintendo’s playful design philosophy, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven co‑op experiences (the makers of *It Takes Two*), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as *The Pink Panther*. The goal is to craft an experience that feels timeless, memorable, and so enjoyable that players look back on it with a smile years after their first play session.
"We are leaning into creativity as a core pillar of our studio, and that extends to our players as well," Shefta said. "Our game will give players the freedom to be inventive and express themselves through play.
Physics‑based mechanics will provide a sandbox of possibilities, while our level‑design systems will encourage wild, unexpected scenarios." The Hypergryph investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta hopes to keep sustainable over the long term. The studio currently employs four full‑time staff members and is planning 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 will add quality‑assurance personnel and contract specialists for character art, audio, user‑interface work, and a composer. "We are keeping the core team lean, ambitious but realistic about scope," Shefta clarified. "We also want to build a studio that treats its employees fairly.
The industry has seen many layoffs recently, even at companies whose games have been successful. We intend to reward our team through mechanisms like share schemes, so when our games succeed, everyone benefits." Shefta’s vision for Pretty Cool Games is to blend the best practices of AAA development with the agility of a small indie team. She believes that AAA projects teach discipline in quality control and an understanding of what makes a franchise thrive, but they also often involve massive budgets that can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs a daunting challenge.
In contrast, indie development can move quickly, experiment freely, and focus on the ideas that feel right, allowing creators to iterate rapidly and deliver something special. "Working in AAA taught me the importance of disciplined quality and the factors that drive a successful IP," she reflected. "Those huge budgets sometimes result in inefficiency and make it hard to break even.
Indie studios can be more nimble, experimenting and honing in on one or two core ideas to produce something unique." She also emphasized that a smaller team gives each member a greater influence on the final product, which is more fulfilling for creative professionals. "When everyone can shape the game, the work feels more meaningful," she added.
Ultimately, Shefta wants to build a studio that puts both the player experience and employee wellbeing at the forefront. She acknowledges that launching a new studio always comes with challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have amassed over the years will guide them. "There will always be obstacles when you start a new studio, but we will rely on the deep knowledge we’ve built and stay committed to making 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 quirky, physics‑driven vision to a global audience while maintaining a sustainable, employee‑centric business model.