Pretty Cool Games has been launched by two seasoned veterans of Human : Fall Flat – Sitara Shefta, who now serves as chief executive officer, and Will Dudley, the chief creative officer. Their shared vision is to build a studio that operates sustainably, treats its staff fairly, and rewards the team when its games succeed.
Shefta’s résumé includes a stint as CEO and studio head of No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the creation of Human : Fall Flat. She recently earned a seat on the TIGA Board of Directors and participates in the BAFTA Games Committee, underscoring her standing in the UK games community. Dudley, an original member of the Human : Fall Flat team, brings a wealth of experience from previous roles at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio.
His background spans both AAA and indie environments, giving him a broad perspective on game development. To fund the launch of this fully remote, UK‑based operation, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Hypergryph, the Chinese studio best known for the mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield.
Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that while capital is hard to obtain these days, the appetite for fresh gaming experiences remains strong. She added that the partnership with Hypergryph felt natural from the first conversation because the investor loved the concept, aligned with the studio’s long‑term vision, and welcomed the team’s off‑beat ideas. “They are developers themselves who are now supporting other developers, and that resonated with us,” she said. The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s debut title, a project that draws creative inspiration from several sources: Nintendo’s playful design philosophy, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven co‑op experiences (the makers of *It Takes Two*), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as *The Pink Panther*.
Shefta emphasized the ambition to craft something that feels timeless and delightful, a game players will recall with a smile years after their first play session. Creativity is positioned as a core pillar of Pretty Cool Games, not only for the developers but also for the players. The upcoming title will leverage the freedom inherent in physics‑based gameplay, combined with carefully crafted systems and level design that encourage unexpected, humorous outcomes. By giving players the tools to experiment, the studio hopes to foster a sandbox of expression where every session can produce a new, memorable moment.
The Hypergryph investment also enables the studio to grow a small, focused team that Shefta intends to keep sustainable over the long haul. Currently, Pretty Cool Games employs four full‑time staff members and is planning to expand to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist.
Future contracts will cover QA, character art, audio, UI design, and a composer. Shefta stressed that keeping the core team lean allows the studio to remain ambitious yet realistic about scope, while also ensuring each employee feels valued and has a stake in the company’s success. In light of recent industry layoffs, Shefta explained that Pretty Cool Games wants to break the pattern of success not translating into security for developers.
The studio plans to implement share schemes and other profit‑sharing mechanisms so that when a game performs well, the entire team benefits together. She described the goal as “taking the best of AAA – disciplined quality, deep understanding of what makes an IP thrive – and blending it with the agility and experimental spirit of a smaller indie outfit.” Her experience in AAA taught her the importance of maintaining high standards while avoiding the wasteful spending that can cripple large‑budget projects. “Big budgets often lead to inefficient decisions and make recouping costs extremely difficult,” she noted. By contrast, indie development can move quickly, iterate on ideas, and focus on what feels fun, allowing a handful of strong concepts to blossom into something special.
Working in a compact team also means each member has a larger influence on the final product, a factor Shefta finds creatively rewarding. The studio’s overarching mission is to prioritize the player experience and employee wellbeing above all else. She acknowledges that launching a new studio will always involve obstacles, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have amassed will guide them through challenges.
Pretty Cool Games is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its inaugural title. The team’s philosophy centers on building games the right way – with fairness, transparency, and a focus on lasting enjoyment. As they move forward, they hope to demonstrate that a small, well‑treated team can deliver experiences that stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with those from much larger studios, proving that sustainable practices and creative ambition are not mutually exclusive.