Pretty Cool Games has been launched by two veterans of the hit title Human: Fall Flat – Sitara Shefta, who will serve as chief executive officer, and Will Dudley, taking on the role of chief creative officer. Their shared ambition is to build a studio that operates sustainably, treats its staff fairly and rewards them directly for the success they help create. Shefta brings extensive leadership experience to the venture. She previously ran No Brakes Games Tenerife as its CEO and studio head, overseeing the development of Human: Fall Flat.
In addition to her industry work, she was recently appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Gaming Association (TIGA) and serves on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on the health of the games ecosystem. Dudley, the other co‑founder, 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 indie and AAA environments, giving the new studio a blend of creative agility and production discipline.
To get the UK‑based, fully remote 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 explains that raising capital is challenging in the current climate, but she believes demand for fresh, inventive games remains strong. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked. They loved our concept, backed our long‑term studio vision and embraced our quirky ideas.
The fact that they are developers themselves, now supporting other developers, made them stand out, and we wanted a partner who shared our enthusiasm," she told GamesIndustry.biz. The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s debut title, a project that draws creative influence from several sources. Nintendo’s timeless playfulness, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven cooperative design (the makers of *It Takes Two*), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as *The Pink Panther* all inform the game’s direction. Shefta says the goal is to craft an experience that stays with players for years: "We want to make something memorable, timeless and so much fun that you recall it with delight long after you first played it." Creativity is positioned as a core pillar of the studio, not just for the developers but for the players as well.
The upcoming game will give players a sandbox of physics‑based interaction, combined with level‑design systems that encourage unexpected, humorous outcomes. "We are leaning into creativity as a pillar of our studio, and that applies to our players too. We are developing a game that will let players be creative and express themselves through play," Shefta added.
The investment also enables Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that the founders hope can be maintained over the long term. Currently four full‑time staff members are on board, with plans to grow to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist. Additional contract roles are slated for character art, audio, UI design and a composer.
"We keep the core team small, being ambitious but practical in scope," Shefta notes. "We are also building a studio that is sustainable by being fair to our employees. Recent industry layoffs have shown that success does not always translate to job security, so we are designing share‑scheme incentives so that if our games succeed, the whole team benefits." Shefta articulates a hybrid philosophy: "Take the best of AAA and combine it with a smaller, focused team that can experiment, iterate fast, and make decisions quickly." Her experience on AAA projects taught her the importance of disciplined quality and an understanding of what makes an intellectual property thrive.
However, she also observed that massive budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult, threatening long‑term viability. By contrast, indie development allows for rapid experimentation, focusing on a handful of strong ideas that can be polished into something special.
Working in a smaller team also means each member has a larger impact on the final product, a factor that resonates with creative professionals. "Being part of a smaller team means everyone has more influence on shaping the game, and that feels more meaningful to us as creators," Dudley says. Ultimately, the studio’s mission is to prioritize player enjoyment and employee wellbeing above all else.
Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio will inevitably bring challenges, but she is confident that the combined experience of the founders and their commitment to ethical development will guide them through. "There will always be obstacles when you start a new studio, but we will rely on the significant experience and knowledge we’ve built over the years, and stay strong on our commitment to build games the right way," she concludes. Pretty Cool Games is also actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its debut title, aiming to secure the resources needed to bring their ambitious, humor‑filled vision to market while maintaining the sustainable, employee‑first culture they envision.