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 ambition is to create a studio that operates on sustainable principles, 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 held the position of CEO and studio head at No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat.
In addition to her industry résumé, Shefta has been elected to the board of directors at TIGA and participates on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on the business and cultural aspects of game making. Dudley, the studio’s CCO, was an original member of the Human: Fall Flat team and has a résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio.
His background spans both large‑scale AAA environments and smaller, experimental projects, giving him a unique blend of technical and creative expertise. To get the new, fully remote UK operation off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Hypergryph, the Chinese developer best known for the popular RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that while raising capital can be challenging in the current market, the appetite for fresh, inventive games remains strong.
She added that the first conversation with Hypergryph went exceptionally well: the investor loved the studio’s concept, embraced its long‑term vision, and appreciated the team’s whimsical ideas. The fact that Hypergryph is itself a game‑making studio that is now supporting other developers made the partnership especially appealing. According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be directed toward the studio’s debut title. The game draws creative 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 like *The Pink Panther*.
The goal, she says, is to craft an experience that stays memorable for years, a game that players recall with delight long after their first play‑through. “We are leaning into creativity as a pillar of our studio, and that applies to our players as well,” Shefta emphasized.
“We want to give players a sandbox where physics‑based freedom meets clever level design, encouraging wild, unexpected scenarios and personal expression through play.” The investment also enables Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that can be sustained over the long term. At present the studio 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 recruitment will expand to quality‑assurance, contract roles for character art, audio, UI, and even a dedicated composer.
Shefta stressed that keeping the core team lean allows the studio to be ambitious while staying realistic about scope. “We are building a studio that is fair to our employees,” she noted, referencing recent industry layoffs that left many talented developers without jobs despite the commercial success of the games they helped create. To avoid that fate, Pretty Cool Games intends to implement share‑scheme arrangements so that when a title succeeds, every team member benefits directly. The overarching philosophy is to combine the best practices of AAA development—discipline, quality standards, and an understanding of what makes an IP thrive—with the agility, rapid iteration, and experimental mindset of indie studios.
Shefta reflected on her time in AAA, saying that large budgets can sometimes lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult. In contrast, indie development allows for faster cycles, focused experimentation, and the ability to double‑down on a few strong ideas. “Being part of a smaller team means that everyone has more influence on shaping the game, and that feels far more meaningful to us as creators,” Dudley added. Both founders agree that the studio’s ultimate mission is to prioritize player enjoyment and employee wellbeing above all else.
While launching a new studio inevitably brings challenges, Shefta is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have accumulated over the years will guide them through. “We will stay true to our commitment to build games the right way, putting our community and our team first,” she concluded. Pretty Cool Games is currently seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its inaugural title, aiming to deliver a game that blends humor, physics‑driven chaos, and heartfelt creativity into a timeless experience for players worldwide.