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 create a studio that operates on sustainable principles, treats its staff fairly and shares the financial rewards of success with the whole team. Shefta brings extensive leadership experience to the venture.
She previously ran No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat. In addition to her industry résumé, she has been elected to the Board of Directors at TIGA and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on the health of the UK games ecosystem. Dudley, a founding member of the original 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‑scale publishers and independent studios informs the studio’s hybrid approach to development.
To get the UK‑based, fully remote studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured undisclosed capital from the Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that while raising investment is currently challenging, the appetite for fresh, inventive games remains strong.
She said the initial conversations with Hypergryph clicked instantly: the Chinese studio loved the concept for Pretty Cool’s debut title, backed the founders’ long‑term vision, and welcomed their off‑beat ideas. "It was important to us that our investor was also a game developer who understood the creative process and was enthusiastic about our ambitions," Shefta noted. According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be directed toward the studio’s first game, which draws creative inspiration from a diverse set of sources: the playful spirit of Nintendo, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight (the studio behind *It Takes Two*), the immersive, narrative‑driven experiences found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films like *The Pink Panther*.
She hopes the final product will be a memorable, timeless experience that players recall with delight years after their first play‑through. Creativity is positioned as a core pillar of the studio’s identity, not just for the developers but for the players as well. Shefta described the upcoming title as a physics‑based playground that gives players the freedom to experiment, solve puzzles, and generate unexpected, often humorous scenarios through a combination of robust level design and open‑ended systems.
This focus on emergent gameplay is intended to encourage personal expression and replayability. The Hypergryph investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that can be maintained over the long term.
At present the studio employs four full‑time staff members, with plans to grow to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist.
Future contracts will bring in specialists for character art, audio, user‑interface design and a composer. Shefta emphasized that keeping the core team lean enables the studio to remain ambitious while staying realistic about scope.
A key element of the studio’s philosophy is fairness to employees. In an industry where layoffs have become commonplace despite the commercial success of many games, Shefta wants Pretty Cool Games to operate differently. She mentioned the possibility of share schemes or other profit‑sharing mechanisms so that when a game succeeds, the entire team benefits together.
"We’re building a studio that rewards its people for success, not just the executives," she said. Shefta articulated a hybrid vision: "Take the best practices of AAA—discipline, quality control, understanding what makes an IP thrive—and combine them with the agility, experimentation and rapid iteration of a small indie team." Her experience in AAA taught her the importance of rigorous quality standards, but also exposed her to the waste that can accompany massive budgets. By contrast, indie development allows for quicker decision‑making, focused experimentation and the ability to double‑down on one or two strong ideas without being hamstrung by financial bloat. Working in a smaller team also means each member has a larger impact on the final product, which Shefta finds creatively fulfilling.
She believes that when developers feel ownership over the game, the result is a more authentic and engaging experience for players. Ultimately, Shefta’s goal for Pretty Cool Games is to put the player experience and employee wellbeing at the forefront of every decision.
She acknowledges that launching a new studio will always involve obstacles, but she is confident that the collective experience of the founders, the supportive partnership with Hypergryph, and a steadfast commitment to ethical development will guide the studio through any challenges. The team is also actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner to bring their debut title to market, aiming to deliver a game that stands out for its humor, creativity and lasting appeal.