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 shared vision is to create a studio that operates sustainably, treats its staff fairly, and shares the financial rewards of success with the whole team. Shefta brings extensive leadership experience to the venture. She previously headed No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat.
In addition to her industry pedigree, she was recently appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and serves on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on both creative and business challenges in the sector. Dudley, a founding member of the Human: Fall Flat team, adds a deep design background that spans several high‑profile studios, including Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio. His varied résumé equips him with the practical know‑how needed to shepherd ambitious concepts from sketch to playable reality. To get the new, fully remote 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 explained to GamesIndustry.biz that, despite a tight funding environment, the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong. She added that the partnership with Hypergryph felt natural because the latter not only loved the studio’s initial game concept but also embraced their whimsical, experimental approach. "They are developers themselves who are now supporting other developers, and that resonated with us," Shefta said.
"We wanted a partner who was as enthusiastic about our ambitions as we are." The bulk of the capital will be directed toward the studio’s debut title, a project that draws inspiration from a wide range of sources: Nintendo’s timeless design philosophy, Hazelight Studios’ narrative‑driven co‑op experiences (best known for *It Takes Two*), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as *The Pink Panther*. Shefta emphasized the desire to craft a game that remains memorable and delightful long after the first play session, aiming for a timeless quality that players will recall with fondness years later.
Creative freedom sits at the heart of Pretty Cool Games’ ethos. The upcoming title will give players a sandbox of physics‑based interactions, encouraging them to experiment, solve puzzles, and generate unexpected moments. By combining open‑ended physics with carefully crafted level design, the team hopes to spark spontaneous, often humorous scenarios that reward imaginative play. The Hypergryph investment also allows the studio to build a small but focused core team, with the long‑term goal of maintaining a sustainable operation.
Currently, four full‑time staff members are working on the project, and the studio plans to grow to ten employees in the near future. Immediate hiring needs 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, user‑interface work, and a composer to develop an original soundtrack. Shefta stressed that keeping the team lean is a strategic choice.
"We are ambitious but realistic about scope," she explained. "Our aim is to build a studio that treats its employees fairly and shares success through mechanisms such as share schemes, so when a game does well, the whole team benefits. This contrasts sharply with recent industry layoffs where developers were let go despite contributing to successful titles." The studio’s ambition is to blend the best practices of AAA development—rigorous quality standards, polished production values, and an understanding of what makes an intellectual property endure—with the agility and experimental spirit of indie studios.
Shefta reflected on her AAA experience, noting that large budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult. In contrast, smaller teams can iterate quickly, focus on core ideas, and bring a game to market with less financial risk. Being part of a compact team also means each member has a larger impact on the final product, a factor that Shefta finds creatively fulfilling. "When everyone can shape the game, the work feels more meaningful," she said.
Looking ahead, Pretty Cool Games is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its first title. The studio’s long‑term mission is to prioritize player enjoyment and employee wellbeing above all else. "Challenges are inevitable when launching a new studio," Shefta acknowledged, "but we will rely on the extensive experience we have accumulated over the years and stay committed to building games the right way." In summary, Pretty Cool Games represents a new chapter for two seasoned developers who aim to fuse high‑quality production with indie‑style flexibility, backed by strategic funding from a prominent Chinese game maker. Their upcoming project promises a playful, physics‑driven adventure that draws on cinematic slapstick, theme‑park immersion, and cooperative storytelling, all while fostering a workplace culture that rewards its creators.