Pretty Cool Games was launched 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 vision is to build a studio that operates on sustainable principles, treats its staff fairly, and directly rewards team members when the company succeeds. Shefta brings a wealth of leadership experience, having previously helmed No Brakes Games Tenerife as both 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 Directors at TIGA and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on both business and creative matters. Dudley, on the other hand, 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 publishing environments and smaller, more experimental 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 popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that, despite a challenging climate for raising capital, the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong.
She noted that the initial conversations with Hypergryph were unusually harmonious: the investor loved the concept for the studio’s debut title, embraced the founders’ long‑term vision, and was enthusiastic about their “wacky” ideas. Shefta highlighted that Hypergryph’s own experience as a game‑making studio made them a natural partner for a developer that wants to be supported by peers rather than just financial backers. The majority of the funding will be directed toward the studio’s first game, a project that draws inspiration from a wide array of sources. The team cites Nintendo’s playful design philosophy, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven cooperative experiences (the studio behind Split‑Screen), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as The Pink Panther.
Shefta summed up the ambition: “We want to create something memorable, timeless and so much fun that you remember it with delight years after you first played it.” Creativity sits at the heart of Pretty Cool Games’ ethos, and the upcoming title is being built to give players a sandbox for self‑expression. By leveraging the open‑ended possibilities of a physics‑based engine, combined with carefully crafted systems and level design, the developers aim to produce wild, unexpected scenarios that encourage players to experiment and improvise. This approach reflects the founders’ belief that games should be as much about the journey as the destination, offering moments of spontaneous humor and discovery. The investment also allows the studio to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta hopes will remain stable over the long term.
Currently, Pretty Cool Games employs four full‑time staff members, and the plan is 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 hires will cover quality assurance, contract roles for character art, audio, UI design, and even a dedicated composer. Shefta stresses that keeping the core team lean enables the studio to be ambitious while staying realistic about scope, and it also helps maintain a culture where each individual’s contribution has a tangible impact on the final product.
A key component of the studio’s sustainability strategy is a compensation model that aligns employee rewards with the success of the games. Shefta points to recent industry layoffs that occurred despite successful titles, arguing that a fair share‑scheme can ensure that when a game performs well, the entire team benefits. This philosophy is intended to foster a sense of ownership and long‑term commitment among staff, reducing turnover and encouraging a collaborative, high‑quality output. Shefta describes the studio’s overarching goal as “taking the best of AAA and combining it with a smaller, focused team that can experiment, iterate fast, and make decisions quickly.” Her experience working on large‑budget projects taught her the importance of disciplined quality control and an understanding of what makes an intellectual property endure.
However, she also observed that massive budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult, which can be unsustainable for many developers. By contrast, indie development offers speed, flexibility, and the ability to iterate on a few core ideas until they feel right. The founders believe that a smaller team amplifies each member’s influence on the creative direction, making the development process more meaningful for everyone involved. This empowerment, Shefta argues, translates into a better player experience because the people shaping the game are deeply invested in its success.
Looking ahead, Pretty Cool Games is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its debut title. The studio aims to secure partners who share its commitment to ethical development practices and who can help bring the game to a global audience without compromising the founders’ vision. Ultimately, Shefta’s ambition is to construct a studio where the player’s enjoyment and the wellbeing of employees are the top priorities.
She acknowledges that launching a new studio will inevitably bring challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have accumulated over the years will guide them through obstacles. By staying true to their principles—fair treatment, creative freedom, and a focus on sustainable growth—Pretty Cool Games hopes to set a new standard for independent development in the UK and beyond.