New UK indie studio Pretty Cool Games announced, led by former Human: Fall Flat devs
Currently hiring, the remote studio is working on a double-A sandbox game
A new UK development studio has opened, founded by former members of the Human: Fall Flat development team.
Pretty Cool Games was founded by Sitara Shefta and Will Dudley, who serve as CEO and CCO respectively.
Shefta was previously the CEO and studio director of No Brakes Games, where she set up and directed the development team that worked on Human: Fall Flat. She has also worked on such titles as LittleBigPlanet 3, Disney Infinity and Dead Island 2.
Dudley also worked at No Brakes Games on the development of Human: Fall Flat, with previous experience at such studios as Lionhead Studios, Rare and SIE.
The studio, which is based in Leeds, is now hiring (with the current priority being artists and level designers) and will give employees the option to work remotely.
“We’re building a small but mighty team, allowing us to craft truly imaginative games with creativity and agility,” Shefta said in a statement. “Maintaining a culture of empowerment where everyone has a stake in what they are developing is imperative for the working environment we want to create.”
Pretty Cool has been working on prototypes that have attracted attention from investors and publishers, and have now started work on its first project, which is currently in the early stages of development.
“We want to build games that surprise players, make people laugh and create fun memorable moments, so this is at the centre of our development processes,” Dudley said.
“We’re building a truly unique and characterful new game in the AA space, with incredibly fun, fantastically playful, physics-based gameplay. It’s a sandbox game focused on player expression, with emergent gameplay and systems.”
The studio has secured funding from Coreblazer, the investment arm of Chinese game company Hypergryph (making it the company’s first European investment).
“From the earliest prototypes, we could already feel the creativity and potential of this team,” Hypergryph head of investment Clare Yang said.
“Sitara and Will are true entrepreneurs, and working with them has been a genuine pleasure – we’re excited to support Pretty Cool Games as they bring their vision to life.”
