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 sustainably, treats its staff fairly, and shares the financial upside of successful games with the people who build them. Shefta brings considerable 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 TIGA and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a strong voice in the broader UK games community. Dudley, the studio’s CCO, was one of the original members of the Human: Fall Flat team. His résumé includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio, providing a breadth of experience across both large‑scale and indie projects.
To get the new, fully remote, UK‑based studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Hypergryph, the Chinese developer best known for the mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that while capital is harder to raise these days, the appetite for fresh, inventive games has not faded. She added that the partnership with Hypergryph felt natural because the Chinese studio not only loved the concept for Pretty Cool Games’ debut title but also embraced the founders’ quirky, experimental approach. “They are developers themselves who are now supporting other developers, which made them stand out to us.
We wanted a partner who was as enthusiastic about our ambitions as we are,” she said. The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s first game, a project that draws creative inspiration from a diverse set of sources: Nintendo’s timeless design philosophy, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven multiplayer experiences, the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as The Pink Panther. Shefta says the goal is to craft an experience that remains memorable and fun long after the initial play session, something players will recall with delight years down the line. Creativity is positioned as a core pillar of the studio’s identity, both for the development team and for the players.
The upcoming title will give players a high degree of freedom, leveraging physics‑based gameplay and level‑design systems that encourage wild, unexpected outcomes. “We want players to express themselves through play, to experiment and discover surprising solutions,” Shefta noted. The investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to build a small, focused team with a view toward long‑term stability.
Currently the studio employs four full‑time staff members and plans to grow to ten. Upcoming hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist. In the future the studio intends to bring on quality‑assurance personnel and contract specialists for character art, audio, UI, and a composer. Shefta emphasizes that keeping the core team lean enables the studio to be ambitious yet realistic about scope.
She also stresses the importance of fairness: “We have seen many layoffs across the industry that don’t reflect the success of the games those developers created. We want a model where success is shared, for example through equity schemes, so that when a game does well, the whole team benefits.” The overarching vision is to blend the best practices of AAA development—rigorous quality standards, disciplined pipelines, and an understanding of what makes an IP thrive—with the agility and experimental spirit of a smaller indie outfit.
Shefta reflects on her AAA experience, noting that large budgets can sometimes lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult. By contrast, indie development allows for rapid iteration, focused experimentation, and the ability to double‑down on one or two strong ideas to create something special. Working in a compact team also means each member has a larger influence on the final product, which Shefta finds creatively rewarding.
“When everyone can shape the game, the work feels more meaningful,” she says. Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to put player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront of its mission. Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio always brings challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience of the founders and their commitment to ethical, player‑first development will guide them through. “We will rely on the significant experience and knowledge we’ve built over the years, and stay strong on our commitment to build games in the right way,” Shefta concludes.
The studio is also actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its debut title, signaling that while the initial backing from Hypergryph is substantial, Pretty Cool Games intends to broaden its financial base to ensure the project’s success and the studio’s longevity.