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

Takashi Nishiyama, the legendary creator behind Street Fighter, is embarking on a new venture in the world of gaming—a boxing game developed in collaboration with The Ring, the esteemed boxing magazine. This exciting news was shared via a tweet by Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who also acquired The Ring in November 2024. The yet-to-be-titled game will feature original characters, marrying The Ring’s unparalleled expertise in boxing with the seasoned game development prowess of Dimps, Nishiyama's company.

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 recently released Freedom Wars Remastered in January 2025, a modern console update of a PlayStation Vita title, and now they are gearing up to start development on this new boxing game. This move follows a trend of increasing investment by the Saudi Arabian royal family in Japan’s gaming industry. Notably, in April 2024, the Saudi Crown Prince’s foundation acquired 100% of the shares of Japanese game developer SNK. The Ring has also played a role in promoting SNK's upcoming game Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, hosting a unique boxing match collaboration at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. This connection is further deepened by Nishiyama’s own history with SNK, where he developed the Fatal Fury series and contributed to other major titles like Metal Slug and King of Fighters during the 1990s.

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The announcement of this collaboration between The Ring and Dimps has sparked a range of reactions from Japanese audiences, from surprised reactions expressing eagerness to play the game to curiosity about its final form. X user @ryo_redcyclone, known for his Street Fighter content, responded to the news, highlighting Nishiyama’s past comments on focusing on street fighting to avoid the constraints of established sports rules. He expressed intrigue about how Nishiyama will approach boxing, a sport bound by specific rules.

Concerns have arisen regarding whether the structured rules of boxing will limit Nishiyama's creative freedom, especially given the unconventional characters and moves seen in his past fighting games. For instance, Street Fighter’s character Balrog, resembling Mike Tyson, incorporates moves like kicks and the Buffalo Head, which defy boxing regulations. It remains to be seen whether The Ring and Dimps’ new boxing game will lean towards realism or embrace rule-breaking creativity.