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 sustainable development house that treats its staff fairly and shares the financial rewards of any successes. Shefta brings extensive leadership experience, having previously run No Brakes Games Tenerife as its CEO and studio head while overseeing the creation of Human: Fall Flat. In addition to her industry résumé, she was recently appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Gaming Association (TIGA) and holds a seat on the BAFTA Games Committee, where she helps shape policy for the broader gaming community.
Dudley, a founding member of the Human: Fall Flat team, adds a rich background that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio. His varied experience across both large publishers and independent outfits gives the new studio a balanced perspective on creative development and commercial realities. To get the fully remote, UK‑based studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the tactical RPG Arknights: Endfield.
Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that, despite a challenging fundraising climate, there remains a strong appetite for fresh, innovative games. She said the initial conversations with Hypergryph “clicked immediately” – the investor loved the concept for the studio’s debut title, embraced the founders’ whimsical vision, and appreciated that Hypergryph, as a fellow developer, was eager to support other creators. This alignment of enthusiasm and shared values convinced Shefta that Hypergryph would be an ideal partner.
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 range of sources: the playful spirit of Nintendo’s classics, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight (the studio behind *It Takes Two*), the immersive, narrative‑driven attractions found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of films such as *The Pink Panther*. She emphasized the desire to craft something “memorable, timeless and so much fun that you remember it with delight years after you first played it.” Creativity, she noted, is a cornerstone of Pretty Cool Games’ philosophy—not just for the developers but for the players as well. The upcoming title will leverage the open‑ended possibilities of a physics‑based engine, combined with thoughtfully designed levels and systems that encourage players to experiment, solve puzzles in unexpected ways, and generate their own moments of humor. This approach aims to give gamers a sandbox for self‑expression, where the only limit is imagination.
The Hypergryph investment also enables the studio to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta hopes to keep sustainable over the long term. Currently, four full‑time staff members are on board, with plans to grow the core to ten people.
Immediate hiring needs include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist. Future contracts will bring in specialists for character art, audio design, user‑interface work, and a composer.
By keeping the core team lean, the founders intend to stay ambitious yet realistic about scope, avoiding the over‑extension that can plague larger projects. Shefta stressed that the studio’s business model is built around fairness and shared success. In an industry where mass layoffs have occurred despite successful releases, Pretty Cool Games wants to reward its employees through mechanisms such as share schemes, ensuring that if a game performs well, the whole team benefits.
She described the goal as “taking the best of AAA – disciplined quality, polished production values – and marrying it with the agility, rapid iteration, and experimental mindset of a smaller indie team.” Her experience working on AAA titles taught her the importance of quality control and the challenges of recouping massive budgets, which can lead to wasteful decisions. By contrast, indie development allows for quicker pivots, focused experimentation, and the ability to double‑down on one or two core ideas that feel right.
In a smaller team, each member’s contribution carries more weight, fostering a sense of ownership and creative fulfillment. Ultimately, Shefta’s vision for Pretty Cool Games is a studio that places player enjoyment and employee well‑being at the forefront. She acknowledges that launching a new studio will always involve obstacles, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have accumulated over the years will guide them.
Their commitment, she says, is to “build games the right way”—with integrity, sustainability, and a genuine love for the craft. The studio is also actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner to support the launch of its debut title. As the team expands and the game takes shape, they aim to deliver a product that not only entertains but also leaves a lasting impression, echoing the whimsical, physics‑driven fun that made Human: Fall Flat a beloved experience for players worldwide.