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 company’s chief creative officer. Their shared ambition is to create a development house that treats its staff fairly, offers long‑term stability, and directly ties employee rewards to the commercial success of its games.
Shefta brings a wealth of leadership experience to the venture. She previously ran No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the creation of Human: Fall Flat and acted as both studio head and CEO. In addition to her industry résumé, she has been elected to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, where she helps shape policy for the broader games community. Dudley’s background is equally impressive.
He was an early member of the Human: Fall Flat team and has since held positions at major developers such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio. His varied experience across both AAA and indie environments informs the studio’s hybrid development philosophy. To get the new, fully remote, UK‑based studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Chinese developer Hypergryph, the studio behind the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield.
Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that while capital is scarce in the current climate, the appetite for fresh gaming experiences remains strong. She noted that the initial discussions with Hypergryph went smoothly because the Chinese publisher loved the concept for Pretty Cool’s debut title, embraced the studio’s long‑term vision, and appreciated the team’s willingness to pursue off‑beat ideas. “They are developers themselves, now supporting other developers, which made them stand out to us,” Shefta said. “We wanted a partner who shared our enthusiasm and believed in our ambitions.” The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s first game, a project that draws inspiration from a diverse set of sources: the whimsical charm of Nintendo titles, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight’s Split Reality, the immersive world‑building found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic cinema such as The Pink Panther.
Shefta emphasized the goal of delivering a memorable, timeless experience that players will recall with delight years after their first play‑through. Creativity sits at the core of Pretty Cool’s ethos, both for the development team and the eventual audience. The upcoming game will give players a high degree of freedom, leveraging the unpredictable nature of physics‑based gameplay while layering in carefully crafted systems and level design that encourage wild, emergent scenarios.
“We want players to express themselves through play,” Shefta explained. “The physics engine provides the sandbox, and our design tools let them build something truly unique.” The investment also enables the studio to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta hopes will remain sustainable over the long haul.
Currently, Pretty Cool employs four full‑time staff members and intends to grow to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist.
Future recruitment plans feature contract positions for character art, audio, UI design, and a dedicated composer, as well as a QA lead. Shefta stressed that keeping the core team lean allows the studio to remain ambitious yet realistic about scope. “We’re building a studio that treats its employees fairly,” she said. “The industry has seen a wave of layoffs that don’t reflect the actual success of the games those developers created.
We want a model where success is shared – for example, through equity schemes – so when a title performs well, the whole team benefits.” The overarching ambition is to blend the best practices of AAA development—rigorous quality standards, polished presentation, and an understanding of what makes a franchise endure—with the agility and experimental spirit of a smaller indie outfit. Shefta reflected on her time in AAA, noting that large budgets can sometimes lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult.
“Indie development lets you iterate quickly, focus on what feels good, and hone in on one or two core ideas,” she said. “That efficiency can produce something truly special.” Working in a compact team also means every individual has a meaningful impact on the final product, a factor that Shefta finds creatively fulfilling. “When the whole team can shape the game, it feels more personal and rewarding,” 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 will inevitably bring challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience of the leadership team will guide them through. “We’ll rely on the knowledge we’ve built over the years and stay committed to making games the right way,” she concluded.
The studio is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner to bring its debut title to market, hoping that the combination of seasoned leadership, a clear creative vision, and a supportive backer like Hypergryph will pave the way for a sustainable and innovative future in game development.