Pretty Cool Games has been launched 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 mission is to build a studio that operates sustainably, treats its staff fairly and shares the financial rewards of any successes with the whole team. Shefta previously led No Brakes Games Tenerife as its CEO and studio head, where she oversaw the development of Human : Fall Flat. In addition to her industry experience, she was recently appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and holds a seat on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a strong voice in shaping the future of British gaming.
Dudley, a founding member of the original Human : Fall Flat team, brings a rich résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio. His background spans both large‑scale console projects and smaller, experimental titles, providing a balanced perspective on how to blend ambition with practicality. To get the new, fully remote UK 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 raising capital has become increasingly difficult, yet the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked. They loved our concept, supported our long‑term studio vision and embraced our off‑beat ideas. The fact that they are developers themselves, now helping other developers, made them stand out, and we wanted a partner who was as enthusiastic about our ambitions as we are," she told GamesIndustry.biz.
The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s debut title, a game that draws creative inspiration from a diverse set of sources: Nintendo’s playful design philosophy, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven co‑op experiences (the creators 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 says the goal is to craft something that remains memorable and delightful for years after its initial release.
"We are leaning into creativity as a pillar of our studio, and that applies to our players as well. We are developing a game that will allow players to be creative and express themselves through play. This partly comes from the freedom granted to players in a physics game, combined with our systems and level design allowing for all sorts of wild and unexpected scenarios," she added.
The investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta intends to keep sustainable over the long term. The studio currently employs four full‑time staff members and plans to grow to ten. Upcoming hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist.
In the future, the studio will bring on quality‑assurance personnel and contract specialists for character art, audio, user‑interface work and a composer. Shefta emphasizes a deliberate approach to scaling: "We’re keeping the core team small, being ambitious but practical in terms of scope. We are also trying to build a studio that is sustainable by being fair to our employees.
We’ve recently seen a lot of layoffs across the industry that don’t align with the success of the games those same developers have made – we are trying to build something that rewards our team for success, for instance through share schemes, so if our games are successful we all benefit together." Her vision for Pretty Cool Games is to combine the best practices of AAA development – rigorous quality standards, deep understanding of what makes a franchise thrive – with the agility and experimental spirit of an indie studio. "Working in AAA taught me to be disciplined about quality and how important it is to consider what makes an IP successful," she recalls. "These games often have huge budgets that can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs incredibly challenging – which can be unsustainable. Indie development can be much faster and more efficient, embracing experimentation and then focusing on what feels good.
Running with one or two key ideas allows you to make something special." Shefta believes that a smaller team gives each member a greater influence on the final product, fostering a sense of ownership that is often missing in larger studios. "Being part of a smaller team means that everyone has more of an influence on shaping the game and that’s more meaningful to us as creatives too," she says. Ultimately, the studio’s overarching aim is to put both player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront of every decision.
"There will always be challenges when you launch a new studio, but we will rely on the significant experience and knowledge we’ve built over the years, and stay strong on our commitment to build games in the right way," Shefta concludes. Pretty Cool Games is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its inaugural title, hoping to secure the resources needed to bring their ambitious, physics‑driven, comedy‑infused vision to market while maintaining the ethical and sustainable workplace model they champion.