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

Exciting news for gaming and boxing enthusiasts alike: Takashi Nishiyama, the legendary creator of Street Fighter, is teaming up with The Ring magazine to develop a brand new boxing game. This announcement was made by Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, on his official X account. Alalshikh, who acquired The Ring in November 2024, revealed that the untitled game will feature original characters and leverage the combined expertise of The Ring's deep boxing knowledge and Dimps' extensive experience in creating iconic video 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, led by Nishiyama, recently released Freedom Wars Remastered in January 2025, showcasing their prowess in remastering and developing games for modern consoles. According to Alalshikh's tweet, development on the new boxing game is set to begin soon.

The involvement of the Saudi Arabian royal family in Japan's gaming industry has been on the rise, highlighted by their complete acquisition of SNK's shares in April 2024. The Ring Magazine has also been actively involved in promoting SNK's upcoming title, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, through a boxing match collaboration at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. Notably, Nishiyama's past with SNK, where he created the Fatal Fury series and contributed to other major series like Metal Slug and King of Fighters, adds an intriguing layer to this new project.

The 10 Best Fighting Games

View 11 Images

Japanese fans have shown a mix of surprise and curiosity about the upcoming collaboration between The Ring and Dimps. Reactions on social media range from excited exclamations like "What?!! I want to play it!" to discussions about what the final product might look like. X user @ryo_redcyclone, known for his Street Fighter content, commented on Nishiyama's shift from street fighting to a rule-bound sport like boxing, expressing eagerness to see how Nishiyama's creative approach will adapt.

Concerns have been raised about whether the strict rules of boxing might limit Nishiyama's signature flair for quirky characters and unconventional moves, as seen in his previous works like Street Fighter, where characters like Balrog perform moves that would be illegal in professional boxing. It remains to be seen whether The Ring and Dimps' new game will adhere to realism or embrace Nishiyama's penchant for rule-breaking excitement.