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 of successful games with the people who create them.
Shefta brings a wealth of leadership experience. She previously ran No Brakes Games Tenerife as CEO and studio head, overseeing the development of Human: Fall Flat from concept to launch.
In addition to her industry résumé, she was recently appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and holds a seat on the BAFTA Games Committee, where she helps shape policy for the broader games community. Dudley, the studio’s creative lead, was an original member of the Human: Fall Flat team.
His résumé includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare, and Marmalade Game Studio, giving him a broad perspective on both big‑publisher pipelines and indie‑focused development. 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 mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta told GamesIndustry.biz that raising capital is currently challenging, but the appetite for fresh, inventive titles 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.
The fact that they are developers themselves, now supporting other studios, made them stand out, and we wanted a partner as enthusiastic about our ambitions as we are," she explained. The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s debut game, a project that draws creative inspiration from a diverse set of sources: Nintendo’s knack for timeless play, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven cooperative experiences, the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films such as The Pink Panther. Shefta summed up the ambition: "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’s philosophy, not just for the developers but for the players as well.
The upcoming title will give gamers a sandbox of physics‑based tools that encourage experimentation, allowing them to devise wild, unexpected scenarios through clever level design and open‑ended systems. This approach is intended to let players express themselves through play, turning each session into a personal comedy of errors reminiscent of slapstick cinema.
The investment also enables Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta hopes can be sustained over the long term. Currently four full‑time staff members are on board, with plans to grow to ten. Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist, and a concept artist. Additional contract roles are slated for character art, audio, UI, and a composer, as well as quality‑assurance support.
Shefta emphasizes a balanced approach: "We’re keeping the core team small, ambitious yet practical in scope. We want a studio that treats its employees fairly. Recent industry layoffs have shown that success doesn’t always translate into job security, so we’re designing share‑scheme incentives so that if our games succeed, the whole team benefits together." The overarching goal is to blend the best practices of AAA production—rigorous quality standards, disciplined pipelines, and an understanding of what makes an IP thrive—with the agility and experimental spirit of indie development.
"Working in AAA taught me to be disciplined about quality and to understand the ingredients of a successful IP," Shefta reflected. "Those massive budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs a nightmare, which isn’t sustainable. Indie teams can move faster, iterate cheaply, and focus on what feels right. By honing in on one or two strong ideas, you can create something truly special." She also notes that a smaller team means each individual has a greater impact on the final product, which is deeply rewarding for creative professionals.
"When everyone’s voice matters, the work feels more meaningful," she said. Ultimately, Pretty Cool Games aims to build a studio that puts player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront.
Shefta acknowledges that launching a new studio will always bring challenges, but she is confident that the combined experience of the founding team and their commitment to ethical, player‑first development will guide them through. "We’ll rely on the knowledge we’ve accumulated over the years and stay true to our commitment to make games the right way," she concluded. The studio is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its first title, hoping to secure the resources needed to bring their ambitious, physics‑driven, comedy‑infused vision to market while maintaining the sustainable, fair‑play ethos that defines Pretty Cool Games.