Exciting news for gaming and boxing enthusiasts alike: Takashi Nishiyama, the creator of Street Fighter, is teaming up with The Ring magazine to develop a brand new boxing game. This collaboration was announced by Turki Alalshikh, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, on his official X account. Alalshikh, who acquired The Ring in November 2024, shared that the untitled game will feature original characters and will be a fusion of The Ring's esteemed authority in boxing and Dimps’ extensive experience in developing classic 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, Nishiyama's own company, recently released Freedom Wars Remastered in January 2025, a reimagining of the PlayStation Vita title for modern consoles. Alalshikh's tweet also mentioned that development on the new boxing game would commence soon.
The involvement of the Saudi Arabian royal family in Japan’s gaming industry has been on the rise. In April 2024, it was revealed that the Saudi Crown Prince's foundation had acquired full ownership of SNK, a renowned Japanese game company. The Ring Magazine has also played a role in promoting SNK's upcoming title, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, by hosting a boxing match collaboration at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. Interestingly, Nishiyama's past includes significant contributions to SNK in the 1990s, where he created the Fatal Fury series and worked on flagship titles like Metal Slug and King of Fighters.
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The announcement of The Ring and Dimps' collaboration has sparked a range of reactions from Japanese audiences. From surprised reactions like “What?!! I want to play it!” to curiosity about the final product, the anticipation is palpable. X user @ryo_redcyclone, known for his Street Fighter content, responded to the news, 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.”
A key concern among fans revolves around whether boxing's strict rules will limit Nishiyama's creative freedom, given the unconventional characters and moves in his past fighting games. For instance, Street Fighter's Balrog, a Mike Tyson lookalike, employs moves like kicks and the Buffalo Head that clearly defy professional boxing regulations. It will be fascinating to observe whether the new boxing game from The Ring and Dimps opts for a realistic portrayal or breaks the rules to offer something more unique.
