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 shares the financial rewards of success with the whole team. Shefta brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as CEO and studio head at No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat.
In addition to her industry leadership, she has recently been appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and serves on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a strong voice in shaping the future of British gaming. Dudley, an original member of the Human: Fall Flat team, has a résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio.
His diverse background in both indie and AAA environments equips him with a broad perspective on game design, production pipelines and creative risk‑taking. To get the new, fully remote UK studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that securing capital in today’s climate is challenging, yet the appetite for fresh, inventive games remains strong. “From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked.
They loved the concept we were pitching, embraced our long‑term vision and were excited about our off‑beat ideas. It was refreshing to partner with fellow developers who wanted to support other studios, and we felt they shared our enthusiasm for what we’re trying to achieve,” she said.
According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be poured into the studio’s debut title. The game draws inspiration from several distinct sources: the whimsical charm of Nintendo’s catalog, 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*. The goal is to craft an experience that feels timeless and unforgettable, a game that players will recall with a smile years after their first play session. “We’re leaning heavily into creativity as a core pillar, not just for our developers but for the players as well,” Shefta emphasized.
“By giving players a physics‑based sandbox and layering it with clever level design and systems, we hope to spark wild, unexpected moments that encourage personal expression and playful experimentation.” The investment also enables the studio to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta intends to keep sustainable over the long haul. Currently, Pretty Cool Games 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, as well as quality‑assurance personnel.
Shefta stressed that keeping the core team lean allows the studio to stay ambitious yet realistic about scope. “We want to build a company that treats its employees fairly. The industry has seen a wave of layoffs that don’t reflect the success of the games those developers helped create.
We’re designing a model where success is shared – for example, through employee share schemes – so when a title does well, everyone benefits.” Her vision for Pretty Cool Games is to blend the best practices of AAA development – disciplined quality control, deep understanding of what makes an intellectual property thrive – with the agility and experimental spirit of indie studios. “AAA projects often have massive budgets that can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs a nightmare.
Indie development lets you iterate quickly, focus on a few strong ideas and bring them to life efficiently. In a small team, each person’s contribution has a noticeable impact on the final product, which is incredibly rewarding for creatives.” Ultimately, Shefta wants the studio to prioritize both the player experience and employee wellbeing. She acknowledges that launching a new studio inevitably comes with hurdles, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have amassed over the years will guide them through.
“We’ll stay true to our commitment to build games the right way – with respect for our players, our team and the broader industry,” she concluded. Pretty Cool Games is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner to help bring its first title to market. With a clear creative direction, solid backing from Hypergryph and a leadership team seasoned in both indie and AAA environments, the studio aims to deliver a game that blends humor, physics‑based fun and heartfelt design into an experience that stands the test of time.