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 ambition is to build a studio that operates sustainably, treats its staff fairly and shares the financial upside of successful releases with the team.
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. In addition to her industry experience, she has recently been appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on the sector’s challenges and opportunities.
Dudley, an original member of the Human : Fall Flat development team, brings a wealth of experience from previous roles at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio. His background spans both large‑scale console projects and smaller, experimental titles, equipping him with the skill set needed to navigate the hybrid approach Pretty Cool Games is pursuing. To get the new, 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 explains that, despite a tight funding environment, 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 vision and embraced our off‑beat ideas. It was refreshing to partner with fellow developers who are as enthusiastic about nurturing new talent as we are,” she told GamesIndustry.biz. The bulk of the capital will be directed toward the studio’s debut title, a project that draws inspiration from a diverse set of sources: the whimsical charm of classic Nintendo games, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight (the studio behind *It Takes Two*), the immersive, narrative‑driven experiences found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of films like *The Pink Panther*. Shefta says the goal is to craft a game that remains memorable and delightful years after its initial release, a timeless experience that players will look back on with a smile.
Creativity is positioned as a core pillar of the studio’s philosophy, both for the developers and the players. “We want to give players the freedom to be inventive and express themselves through play,” Shefta notes. “Our physics‑driven engine, combined with carefully designed levels and systems, will encourage wild, unexpected scenarios that reward experimentation.” This emphasis on player agency mirrors the studio’s internal culture, which aims to empower staff to shape the product directly.
The investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that can be sustained over the long term. Currently, four full‑time employees are on board, and the studio plans to grow to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist. Future recruitment will target quality‑assurance specialists and contract roles for character art, audio, user interface design and a composer.
Shefta stresses that keeping the core team compact enables the studio to stay ambitious yet realistic about scope, while also fostering a fair workplace. In response to recent industry layoffs that have left many talented developers without jobs despite the commercial success of the games they helped create, Shefta says Pretty Cool Games intends to reward its staff through mechanisms such as share schemes.
“If our games succeed, the whole team benefits,” she explains. This approach is meant to align employee incentives with the studio’s overall performance, creating a sense of shared ownership.
Shefta’s vision for the studio is to blend the best practices of AAA development—rigorous quality standards, strong IP stewardship and polished production values—with the agility and experimental spirit of indie teams. “Working in AAA taught me the importance of discipline and quality, but I also saw how massive budgets can lead to waste and make recouping costs difficult,” she reflects. “Indie development lets you iterate quickly, focus on what feels right, and bring a handful of strong ideas to life without the overhead of a blockbuster pipeline.” Being part of a smaller team, according to Dudley, means each member has a more pronounced impact on the final product.
“When everyone’s voice matters, creativity flourishes,” he says. This collaborative ethos is designed to translate into a game that feels personal and resonant for its audience.
Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to prioritize both player enjoyment and employee wellbeing. Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio will always involve challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience of the founding team, combined with a steadfast commitment to ethical development practices, will guide the studio toward sustainable success. The studio is also actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner to support the launch of its inaugural title, ensuring that the project has the resources it needs to reach a broad audience while staying true to its creative ambitions.