Pretty Cool Games was launched 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 shared ambition is to construct a studio that operates on sustainable principles, treats its staff fairly, and shares the rewards of success with the team. Shefta previously held the roles of CEO and studio head at No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat. In addition to her industry experience, she was recently appointed to the board of directors at TIGA and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a strong voice in the broader gaming community.
Dudley, a founding member of the Human: Fall Flat team, brings a rich résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio. His varied background spans both large‑scale console projects and smaller, innovative titles, equipping him with a broad perspective on game creation. To fund the launch of the fully remote, UK‑based studio, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from the Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the popular RPG Arknights: Endfield.
Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that, despite a challenging investment climate, the appetite for fresh gaming experiences remains strong. She added that the partnership with Hypergryph felt natural from the first conversation because the Chinese studio embraced the quirky concept, supported the long‑term vision, and demonstrated genuine enthusiasm for the founders’ creative aspirations.
According to Shefta, the bulk of the capital will be directed toward the studio’s first game, a project that draws inspiration from a wide array of sources: the playful spirit of Nintendo, the narrative‑driven co‑op design of Hazelight (the creators of *It Takes Two*), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as *The Pink Panther*. She emphasized the desire to craft an experience that remains memorable and delightful years after its initial release. "We want to create something timeless and fun, a game that players look back on with a smile," Shefta said.
"Creativity is a cornerstone of our studio philosophy, and we want that creativity to flow to the players as well. By leveraging the freedom inherent in a physics‑based game and pairing it with clever level design, we can enable all sorts of unexpected, hilarious 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 plans to grow to ten.
Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist. Future positions will cover quality assurance, contract roles for character art, audio, UI design, and a composer. Shefta stressed that keeping the core team compact enables the studio to be ambitious while remaining realistic about scope.
"We’re building a studio that treats its employees fairly," she noted. "Recent layoffs across the industry have shown that success doesn’t always translate into job security for developers. We intend to reward our team through mechanisms like share schemes so that when a game succeeds, everyone benefits." The overarching goal, according to Shefta, is to blend the best practices of AAA development—rigorous quality standards and an understanding of what makes a franchise thrive—with the agility and experimental freedom of a smaller indie outfit. She reflected on her time in AAA, saying that while large budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult, indie development allows for rapid iteration and a focus on what feels right.
"Working on AAA titles taught me discipline and the importance of quality," she recalled. "But those projects often suffer from bloated budgets and slow decision‑making. In a smaller team, each person’s voice carries weight, and we can pivot quickly based on what works.
That kind of environment is where truly unique experiences are born." Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to prioritize both player enjoyment and employee wellbeing. Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio will inevitably present challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have amassed over the years will guide them through.
"We’re committed to building games the right way, with a focus on sustainable growth, creative freedom, and shared success," she concluded. 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, physics‑driven, comedy‑infused vision to market.