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 sustainably, treats its staff fairly and rewards them directly for the success they help create. 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.
In addition to her industry track record, she was recently appointed to the board of directors at TIGA and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on the UK games ecosystem. Dudley, on the other hand, was one of the original members of the Human: Fall Flat team.
His résumé includes stints at major publishers and developers such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio, providing him with a deep understanding of both large‑scale production pipelines and the creative freedom that smaller teams can enjoy. To get the new, fully remote UK studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured undisclosed capital from Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the tactical RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that investment opportunities are scarce at the moment, but that does not mean the appetite for fresh, inventive games has faded. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked.
They loved our concept, they backed our long‑term vision and they embraced the quirky ideas we wanted to explore. It was refreshing to work with a fellow developer who is now supporting other studios – that mutual enthusiasm made the partnership feel natural," she said.
The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s debut title, a project that draws inspiration from a wide array of sources: the playful spirit of Nintendo games, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight (the creators of *It Takes Two*), the immersive world‑building found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films like *The Pink Panther*. Shefta summed up the ambition succinctly: "We want to craft something memorable, timeless and so much fun that players look back on it with delight years after their first play session." Creativity is positioned as a core pillar of the studio’s philosophy, both for the development team and for the players. The upcoming game will give players a sandbox of physics‑based tools and level‑design systems that encourage spontaneous, often hilarious, problem‑solving.
By combining the freedom inherent in physics games with carefully designed scenarios, the team hopes to spark countless unexpected moments that players can share and remix. The investment also enables Pretty Cool Games to hire a small, focused crew that Shefta intends to keep stable over the long term. Currently the studio employs four full‑time staff members and plans to grow to ten.
Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist. In the future they will bring on quality‑assurance specialists and contract talent for character art, audio, UI design and a composer. "We are keeping the core team small, being ambitious but realistic about scope," Shefta clarified. "We also want to build a studio that treats its people fairly.
The industry has seen many layoffs even when games have performed well, and we want to avoid that. By offering share schemes and profit‑participation, we aim to ensure that if the games succeed, the whole team benefits together." Shefta’s vision is to blend the best practices of AAA development – disciplined quality control, rigorous testing and a focus on what makes an IP thrive – with the agility and experimental mindset of indie studios. "AAA taught me the importance of quality and the challenges of huge budgets that can lead to wasteful decisions. Indie development, by contrast, lets you iterate fast, focus on a few core ideas and bring something truly special to market," she reflected.
Working in a smaller team also means each individual has a larger impact on the final product, a factor that Shefta finds creatively rewarding. "When everyone’s voice matters, the work feels more meaningful," she added.
Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to put player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront of its mission. Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio always brings obstacles, but she is confident that the combined experience of the founders and their commitment to ethical, sustainable game development will guide them through. "There will always be challenges, no matter when you start a studio, but we will lean on the knowledge we’ve built over the years and stay true to our commitment to make games the right way," Shefta concluded.