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 operates on sustainable principles, treats its staff fairly, and shares the financial upside of successful games with the people who create them.
Shefta brings a wealth of 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 résumé, she was recently appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on both creative and business aspects of the sector.
Dudley, the studio’s CCO, was one of the original team members on Human : Fall Flat and has a résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio. His background spans both large‑scale console projects and smaller, experimental titles, giving him a versatile skill set that complements Shefta’s strategic focus. To get the new, fully remote UK studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from the Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield.
Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that raising capital is challenging in the current market, but the demand for fresh, inventive games remains strong. “From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked.
They loved the concept we were pitching, they embraced our long‑term vision, and they were enthusiastic about our off‑beat ideas,” she said. She added that Hypergryph’s own experience as a game‑making studio made them an attractive partner because they understand the creative process and are eager to support other developers. According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be directed toward the studio’s debut title.
The game draws inspiration from a variety of sources: the whimsical charm of classic Nintendo experiences, the narrative‑driven co‑op design championed by Hazelight (the studio behind *It Takes Two* and *A Way Out*), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme‑park attractions, and the physical comedy of films such as *The Pink Panther*. The team hopes to deliver a product that feels both timeless and unforgettable, one that players will recall with delight years after they first encounter it. “We are leaning heavily into creativity as a core pillar of our studio, and that extends to the players as well,” Shefta emphasized.
“Our goal is to give players the tools to express themselves through play. By combining the freedom inherent in a physics‑based game with carefully crafted systems and level design, we can generate wildly unpredictable and entertaining scenarios.” The Hypergryph investment also enables Pretty Cool Games to grow a small, focused team that Shefta intends to keep sustainable over the long term.
The studio currently employs four full‑time staff members and plans to expand to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist.
Future recruitment will add quality‑assurance specialists and contract positions for character art, audio, user‑interface design, and a composer. “We are keeping the core team small, being ambitious but practical in terms of scope,” Shefta clarified. “We want to build a studio that treats its employees fairly. The industry has seen a wave of layoffs that don’t reflect the success of the games those developers helped create.
We aim to reward our team through mechanisms like share schemes, so when a game does well, everyone benefits.” Shefta’s overarching philosophy is to blend the best practices of AAA development with the agility of a smaller indie outfit. “Working in AAA taught me the importance of disciplined quality and understanding what makes an IP succeed,” she reflected. “Those projects often have massive budgets that can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs extremely difficult—an unsustainable model. Indie development, by contrast, can move faster, experiment more freely, and focus on the ideas that feel right.
By honing in on one or two core concepts, you can create something truly special.” She also noted that being part of a compact team gives each member a larger voice in shaping the final product, which is creatively fulfilling. “When everyone can influence the game’s direction, the work feels more meaningful,” she said. Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games’ mission is to prioritize the player experience and employee wellbeing above all else.
“There will always be challenges when you launch a new studio,” Shefta acknowledged, “but we’ll draw on the extensive experience we’ve accumulated over the years and stay committed to building games the right way—ethically, sustainably, and with a genuine love for play."