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

Exciting news has emerged for boxing and gaming enthusiasts alike: Takashi Nishiyama, the creative mind behind Street Fighter, is embarking on a new venture—a boxing game developed in collaboration with the prestigious boxing magazine, The Ring. This announcement was made public by Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, on his official X account. Alalshikh, who acquired The Ring in November 2024, shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming project, highlighting its unique blend of The Ring's boxing authority and Dimps’ extensive experience in game development.

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, a reworking of a PlayStation Vita title for modern consoles. According to Alalshikh's tweet, development on the new boxing game is set to commence soon.

The Saudi Arabian royal family's growing interest in Japan's gaming sector is evident, particularly with their acquisition of 100% of SNK’s shares by the Saudi Crown Prince’s foundation in April 2024. The Ring Magazine has also played a role in promoting SNK's upcoming Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, organizing a boxing match collaboration at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. Nishiyama’s history with SNK, where he created the Fatal Fury series and worked on other flagship titles like Metal Slug and King of Fighters, adds a layer of intrigue 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 the game's final form. An X user, @ryo_redcyclone, known for Street Fighter content, commented on Nishiyama's shift from street fighting to a rule-bound sport like boxing, saying, "Commenting on the first Street Fighter, Nishiyama said: ‘I chose to focus on street fighting because established sports are restricted by rules.’ This time he is making a game based on boxing, a sport with rules, so I’m curious to see how it will turn out."

Concerns have been voiced about the potential limitations boxing rules might impose on Nishiyama's creative freedom, especially given the unconventional characters and moves in his past works. For instance, Street Fighter's Balrog, inspired by Mike Tyson, incorporates moves like kicks and the Buffalo Head, which are far from the norms of professional boxing. It remains to be seen whether The Ring and Dimps' new boxing game will adhere to realistic boxing rules or embrace a more rule-breaking style reminiscent of Nishiyama's earlier games.