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

Exciting news for boxing and gaming enthusiasts alike: Takashi Nishiyama, the renowned creator of Street Fighter, is teaming up with The Ring magazine to develop a new boxing video game. The announcement came via an official post on the X account of Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who acquired The Ring in November 2024. This collaboration promises to blend The Ring’s authoritative expertise in boxing with the innovative game development prowess of Dimps, Nishiyama's own company.

According to Alalshikh's tweet, the yet-to-be-titled game will introduce original characters, merging the worlds of boxing and gaming in a unique way. Dimps, having recently released Freedom Wars Remastered for modern consoles in January 2025, is poised to start development on this new boxing title soon.

The involvement of the Saudi Arabian royal family in Japan's gaming industry has been growing, highlighted by their acquisition of SNK’s shares in April 2024. The Ring has also been actively promoting SNK’s upcoming game, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, through a boxing match collaboration at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. Nishiyama’s historical connection to SNK, where he created the Fatal Fury series and worked on iconic titles like Metal Slug and King of Fighters, adds an intriguing layer to this new venture.

Japanese Reactions to The Ring x Dimps Collaboration

Japanese fans have shown a mix of surprise and curiosity about the new boxing game. Reactions range from enthusiastic comments like “What?!! I want to play it!” to keen interest in how the final product will turn out. X user @ryo_redcyclone, a frequent poster of Street Fighter content, reflected on Nishiyama's past comments about focusing on street fighting due to the restrictive nature of established sports. He expressed intrigue about how Nishiyama will approach a game based on boxing, a sport with strict rules.

Concerns have been raised about whether the rules of boxing might limit Nishiyama’s creative flair, known for quirky characters and unconventional moves in his previous works. For instance, Street Fighter’s Balrog, a character resembling 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 adhere strictly to boxing's rules or if it will embrace a more rule-breaking style.

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