Saudi-Backed Boxing Game by Street Fighter Creator: Japanese Fans' Reaction

Exciting news for gaming and boxing enthusiasts alike: Takashi Nishiyama, the legendary creator behind Street Fighter, is teaming up with The Ring magazine to develop a new boxing game. This announcement was made public on the official X account of Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who acquired The Ring in November 2024. The untitled game promises to feature original characters and harness the combined expertise of The Ring’s authority in boxing and Dimps’ rich history of crafting iconic games.

Together with legendary Japanese video game designer Takashi Nishiyama, I am proud to announce a forthcoming boxing game presented by The Ring featuring original characters.

This strategic partnership between myself and Nishiyama brings together our unmatched authority in… pic.twitter.com/LRWyyZzkpz

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) May 5, 2025

Dimps, the company founded by Nishiyama, recently released Freedom Wars Remastered in January 2025, showcasing their capability to refresh and modernize classic titles. With development of the new boxing game set to start soon, anticipation is building.

The Saudi Arabian royal family's investment in the Japanese gaming industry is evident, having fully acquired SNK’s shares in April 2024. The Ring has also been actively involved in promoting SNK’s upcoming game, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, through a unique boxing match collaboration at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. Nishiyama’s past contributions to SNK, including the creation of the Fatal Fury series and his work on Metal Slug and King of Fighters, add an intriguing layer to this new project.

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Japanese fans have expressed a mix of surprise and curiosity about the The Ring and Dimps collaboration. Reactions range from eager anticipation, with comments like “What?!! I want to play it!” to questions about how the game will turn out. X user @ryo_redcyclone, known for his Street Fighter content, highlighted Nishiyama’s past comments on focusing on street fighting due to the freedom from rules, and expressed curiosity about how Nishiyama will approach the rule-bound sport of boxing.

Concerns have been raised about whether the strict rules of boxing might limit Nishiyama’s creative flair, especially given the unconventional characters and moves in his previous works. For instance, Street Fighter’s Balrog, a character inspired by Mike Tyson, uses moves like kicks and the Buffalo Head, which are far from standard in professional boxing. It remains to be seen whether The Ring and Dimps’ new game will lean towards realism or embrace the rule-breaking style that Nishiyama is known for.