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 shared ambition is to build a studio that operates sustainably, treats its staff fairly and shares the financial rewards of success with the people who create the games. Shefta brings considerable leadership experience to the venture.
She previously ran No Brakes Games Tenerife as CEO and studio head, where she oversaw the development of Human : Fall Flat. In addition to her industry work, she has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors at TIGA and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a voice in broader policy discussions for the UK games sector.
Dudley, the studio’s creative lead, was an original member of the Human : Fall Flat team and has a résumé that includes stints at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio. His diverse background spans console publishing, AAA production and independent development, equipping him with a wide‑ranging perspective on game creation. To get the new, fully remote UK studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from the Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield.
Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that raising capital is currently challenging, but the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong. She added that the partnership with Hypergryph clicked immediately: the Chinese studio loved the concept for Pretty Cool’s debut title, supported their long‑term vision and welcomed the team’s “wacky” ideas. Their status as fellow game developers who are now backing other creators made them an especially attractive partner. According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be directed toward the studio’s first game, a project that draws creative inspiration from a variety of sources: Nintendo’s play‑centric 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*.
She described the goal as delivering an experience that is "memorable, timeless and so much fun that you remember it with delight years after you first played it." Creativity is being positioned as a core pillar of the studio’s identity, both for the developers and for the players. Shefta highlighted that the upcoming title will give players a sandbox of physics‑based interaction, combined with level‑design systems that encourage wild, unexpected outcomes. This freedom, she believes, will let gamers express themselves through play in ways that traditional linear games often restrict.
The investment also allows Pretty Cool Games to assemble a small, focused team that Shefta intends to keep sustainable over the long term. At present 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.
Additional contract roles are slated for quality assurance, character art, audio, user‑interface design and a composer. Shefta emphasized that keeping the core team lean enables the studio to be ambitious while remaining practical about scope. A key part of the studio’s ethos is fairness to employees. Shefta noted that recent industry layoffs have shown that success does not always translate into job security for developers.
To counter this, Pretty Cool Games intends to implement share‑scheme arrangements so that when a game performs well, the entire team benefits financially. This model is meant to align incentives and create a sense of collective ownership. Shefta articulated a vision of blending the best practices of AAA development – disciplined quality control, an understanding of what makes an intellectual property thrive – with the agility and experimental spirit of indie teams.
She reflected on her AAA experience, observing that large budgets can sometimes lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult. By contrast, indie development can move quickly, iterate on ideas, and focus on what feels fun, allowing a small team to produce something special without the pressure of massive financial overhead.
Being part of a smaller crew also means each individual has a greater influence on the final product, which Shefta finds creatively fulfilling. The studio’s ultimate aim is to put player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront of every decision.
While launching a new studio inevitably brings challenges, Shefta is confident that the combined experience of the founders, the supportive partnership with Hypergryph, and a clear commitment to ethical, player‑first development will guide Pretty Cool Games toward lasting success.