Pretty Cool Games has been founded by two veterans of the hit title Human : Fall Flat – Sitara Shefta, who will serve as chief executive officer, and Will Dudley, appointed chief creative officer. Their shared ambition is to build a studio that operates on sustainable principles, treats its staff fairly and shares the financial rewards of any success with the whole team.
Shefta brings a wealth of 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 from concept to launch. In addition to her industry work, she was recently elected to the board of directors at TIGA and holds a seat on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a voice in shaping the broader UK games ecosystem.
Dudley, the studio’s creative lead, was part of the original Human : Fall Flat team and has a 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 marry polish with playful innovation.
To get the new, fully remote, UK‑based 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 while raising capital is challenging in the current market, the appetite for fresh, original games remains strong. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked.
They loved our concept, embraced our long‑term vision and were excited about our off‑beat ideas. The fact that they are developers themselves, now supporting other studios, made them stand out as the perfect partner," she told GamesIndustry.biz.
According to Shefta, the bulk of the funding will be channeled into the studio’s debut title. The game draws inspiration from a wide range of sources: the whimsical charm of Nintendo’s catalog, the cooperative storytelling of Hazelight (the makers of It Takes Two), the immersive world‑building found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic cinema such as The Pink Panther series. "We want to craft an experience that stays with players for years, something timeless and delightful that they can look back on with a smile," she emphasized.
Creativity sits at the heart of Pretty Cool Games’ philosophy, not only for the developers but also for the players. Shefta notes that the upcoming title will give players a sandbox of physics‑based tools, combined with carefully designed levels that encourage unexpected, humorous outcomes.
"The freedom of a physics game, paired with our systems and level design, will let players invent wild scenarios and express themselves through play," she said. The Hypergryph investment also enables the studio to build a small, focused team that Shefta hopes to keep sustainable over the long term.
Currently, Pretty Cool Games employs four full‑time staff members, and the plan is 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 design and a composer, with quality‑assurance positions to follow later. Shefta stresses that keeping the core team compact allows the studio to be ambitious yet realistic about scope.
"We want to be lean, experiment quickly and make decisions without layers of bureaucracy," she explained. "Recent industry layoffs have shown that success does not always translate into job security. We aim to reverse that by offering share schemes and other incentives so that when our games succeed, the whole team benefits." The ultimate goal, she says, is to blend the best practices of AAA production—rigorous quality standards and an understanding of what makes a franchise thrive—with the agility and experimental spirit of indie development. "Working on AAA titles taught me the importance of discipline and quality, but also how massive budgets can lead to waste and make recouping costs difficult.
Indie teams can move faster, test ideas rapidly and focus on what feels right," Shefta reflected. "In a smaller team every voice matters, and that creative ownership is incredibly motivating." Shefta concludes by reiterating the studio’s core mission: to put player enjoyment and employee wellbeing at the forefront. "Launching a new studio will always come with challenges, but we’re leaning on years of experience and a commitment to building games the right way.
Our aim is to create something that players love and that provides a stable, rewarding environment for our team." Pretty Cool Games is actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its first title, and it plans to continue expanding its roster while maintaining the ethical, player‑first ethos that defines its founding vision.