Pretty Cool Games was launched 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 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 new venture. Before co‑founding Pretty Cool, she was the CEO and studio head of No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat. She also holds a seat on the TIGA Board of Directors and contributes to the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on industry trends and standards. Dudley, the studio’s creative lead, was part of the original Human: Fall Flat team and has a résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio.
His background spans both large‑scale productions and smaller, experimental projects, equipping him with the versatility needed to drive an innovative new IP. To get the UK‑based, fully remote studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Hypergryph, the Chinese developer best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that while raising capital can be challenging in the current market, the appetite for fresh, inventive games remains strong. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked.
They loved our concept, backed our long‑term studio vision and embraced our off‑beat ideas. The fact that they are developers themselves, now supporting other creators, made them stand out, and we wanted a partner as enthusiastic about our ambitions as we are." According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be funneled into the studio’s debut title. The game draws creative inspiration from a diverse set of sources: the whimsical charm of Nintendo, the narrative‑driven co‑op design of Hazelight (the studio behind *It Takes Two*), the immersive storytelling techniques found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as *The Pink Panther*. Shefta summed up the ambition succinctly: "We want to craft something memorable, timeless and so much fun that players recall it with delight years after they first experience it." The studio’s philosophy places creativity at the core of both its development process and the player experience.
Shefta noted that the upcoming title will give players a sandbox of physics‑based interaction, paired with level‑design systems that encourage unexpected, often hilarious outcomes. "We are leaning into creativity as a pillar of our studio, and that applies to our players as well. The freedom granted by a physics game, combined with our bespoke systems, will let players express themselves through play and generate wild scenarios," she said.
The Hypergryph investment also enables Pretty Cool to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta hopes to keep sustainable over the long term. The studio currently employs four full‑time staff members and is actively hiring for lead design, level design, environment art and concept art.
Future hires will include quality‑assurance specialists, contract artists for characters, audio engineers, UI designers and a composer. "We keep the core team lean, aiming for ambition that matches our practical scope," Shefta explained. "We want a studio that rewards its people for success – for example through share schemes – so when our games do well, everyone benefits together." Shefta’s vision is to blend the best practices of AAA development – rigorous quality control, deep understanding of what makes an IP thrive – with the agility and experimental spirit of indie teams.
She reflected on her AAA experience, noting that while large budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult, indie development allows for rapid iteration and a focus on what feels right. "Being part of a smaller team means everyone has a bigger influence on shaping the game, which is far more meaningful for us as creatives," she added.
Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to prioritize player enjoyment and employee wellbeing above all else. Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio will inevitably bring challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have amassed over the years will guide them.
"We will stay true to our commitment to build games the right way, relying on the knowledge we’ve built and the passion we share," she concluded. In summary, Pretty Cool Games is a freshly minted UK studio founded by seasoned developers from Human: Fall Flat, backed by Hypergryph’s investment, and driven by a mission to create a physics‑based, comedy‑infused game that balances AAA polish with indie flexibility while fostering a fair, rewarding workplace for its team.