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 upside with those who help create its games.
Shefta brings extensive leadership experience to the venture. She previously ran No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat, and she has been elected to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) as well as serving on the BAFTA Games Committee.
Dudley, a long‑time collaborator on Human: Fall Flat, has a résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio, giving him a broad perspective on both large‑scale and indie development. To get the new, fully remote UK operation off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta told GamesIndustry.biz that, despite a generally tough climate for raising capital, the appetite for fresh, original 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 game makers 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 explained. The bulk of the funding will be directed toward the studio’s debut title, a project that draws creative inspiration from several distinct sources. Nintendo’s emphasis on intuitive, player‑centric design, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven cooperative experiences (the makers of *It Takes Two*), the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme‑park attractions, and the visual slapstick of classic cinema such as *The Pink Panther* all inform the game’s direction.
Shefta summed up the goal: "We want to craft something memorable, timeless and so much fun that players look back on it with delight years after they first played it." Creativity is positioned as a core pillar of the studio, both for the development team and for the players. The upcoming game will give players a physics‑based sandbox that encourages experimentation, allowing them to devise wild and unexpected solutions to challenges. By combining open‑ended physics with carefully designed levels and systems, the team hopes to spark moments of spontaneous humor and personal expression. The Hypergryph investment also enables Pretty Cool Games to build a small but focused team that can be maintained over the long term.
Currently, the studio employs four full‑time staff members and plans to grow to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist.
In the future, the studio intends to bring on quality‑assurance specialists and contract talent for character art, audio, user‑interface work and a dedicated composer. Shefta emphasized the importance of keeping the core team lean while remaining ambitious about the project’s scope. "We are aiming for a sustainable studio that treats its employees fairly.
Recent mass layoffs across the industry have shown that success does not always translate into job security for developers. We want to reward our team through mechanisms like share schemes, so when a game does well, everyone benefits," she said. The overarching philosophy is to blend the strengths of AAA production—high standards for quality and a deep understanding of what makes an intellectual property thrive—with the agility and experimental freedom of a smaller indie outfit. "Working in AAA taught me discipline around quality and the importance of identifying the core elements that make an IP successful," Shefta reflected.
"Those massive budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs extremely difficult, which is unsustainable. Indie development, by contrast, lets you iterate quickly, focus on a few strong ideas and deliver something special without the overhead." She also noted that a smaller team means each member has a larger impact on the final product, which is rewarding for creative professionals. "When everyone can shape the game, the work feels more meaningful," she added.
Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to put player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront of its mission. "There will always be challenges when launching a new studio, but we will rely on the extensive experience we have accumulated over the years and stay committed to building games the right way," Shefta concluded. The studio is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its inaugural title, hoping to secure the resources needed to bring its ambitious, humor‑laden vision to market while maintaining the ethical and sustainable workplace standards that define its brand.