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 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 ran No Brakes Games Tenerife as its CEO and studio head, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat from concept to worldwide release. In addition to her industry résumé, Shefta was recently appointed to the board of TIGA, the UK trade association for video games, and holds a seat on the BAFTA Games Committee, where she helps shape policy for the broader games community. Dudley, the studio’s CCO, was one of the original members of the Human: Fall Flat team.
His career spans several high‑profile developers, including stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio. This blend of indie ingenuity and big‑studio polish informs the creative direction of Pretty Cool Games.
To get the new, fully remote UK studio off the ground, the founders secured undisclosed capital from Hypergryph, the Chinese developer best known for the mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta told GamesIndustry.biz that raising investment is currently challenging, but the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong.
She added that the initial talks with Hypergryph went smoothly: the Chinese studio loved the concept for Pretty Cool Games’ debut title, embraced the founders’ whimsical vision and appreciated that Hypergryph itself is a developer now supporting other creators. "We wanted a partner who was as enthusiastic about our ambitions as we are," Shefta explained.
The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s first game, a project that draws inspiration from several distinct sources. Nintendo’s legacy of approachable yet deep gameplay, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven co‑op experiences (most famously Split Reality), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as The Pink Panther all inform the design philosophy. Shefta summed up the goal: "We want to craft something memorable, timeless and so much fun that players look back on it with delight years after they first played it." Creativity sits at the heart of the studio’s ethos, both for the developers and the players.
The upcoming title will give gamers a sandbox of physics‑based tools that encourage experimentation. By combining open‑ended mechanics with carefully designed levels, the team hopes to spark unexpected, often hilarious scenarios that reward players for thinking outside the box.
The Hypergryph investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that can be sustained over the long term. Currently, four full‑time staff members are on board, with plans to grow to ten.
The next hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist. In the future, the studio intends to bring on QA specialists and contract contributors for character art, audio, UI design and a composer.
Shefta emphasized that keeping the core team lean helps maintain an ambitious yet realistic scope for the project. A key part of the studio’s sustainability model is its compensation structure. Recent industry layoffs have shown that even successful games can leave developers without security.
To counter this, Pretty Cool Games is exploring share‑scheme arrangements that tie employee rewards directly to the commercial performance of their games. "If our titles succeed, we all benefit together," Shefta said, underscoring the commitment to fairness. Shefta’s vision is to blend the best practices of AAA development—rigorous quality standards, disciplined production pipelines and a focus on what makes an IP thrive—with the agility and experimental spirit of indie studios.
Her experience in large‑scale projects taught her that massive budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult, whereas smaller teams can iterate quickly, test ideas, and double‑down on the concepts that feel right. Working in a compact environment also means each team member has a larger influence on the final product. "When everyone can shape the game, the work feels more meaningful," Dudley noted, adding that this collaborative atmosphere fuels the creative energy needed to deliver a standout experience. Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to put player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront of its mission.
The founders acknowledge that launching a new studio will always involve hurdles, but they plan to rely on the deep industry knowledge they have accumulated over the years. By staying true to their principles—fair treatment of staff, profit‑sharing, and a relentless focus on fun—they hope to build games "the right way" and set a positive example for the broader development community.
The studio is also actively seeking additional investors and a publishing partner to support the launch of its debut title. With a clear vision, a supportive backer in Hypergryph, and a team that values creativity and sustainability, Pretty Cool Games is poised to make a distinctive mark on the gaming landscape.