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

The legendary creator of *Street Fighter*, Takashi Nishiyama, is stepping into the ring with a brand-new boxing game, developed in collaboration with the iconic boxing magazine *The Ring*. The announcement came via a post on the official X account of Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. Alalshikh, who acquired *The Ring* in November 2024, shared details about this exciting project that promises to blend authentic boxing culture with Nishiyama’s deep roots in video 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

As revealed in the tweet, the game will feature original characters and combine *The Ring’s* authoritative presence in the world of boxing with Dimps’ extensive experience in crafting classic titles. Dimps is the development studio founded by Takashi Nishiyama himself, known for its recent work on *Freedom Wars Remastered*, which brought the PlayStation Vita title to modern platforms in January 2025. According to Alalshikh, full-scale development on the boxing title will begin shortly.

This project also highlights the growing influence of the Saudi Arabian royal family in Japan’s gaming industry. In April 2024, it was announced that the Saudi Crown Prince’s foundation had taken full ownership of SNK, the storied Japanese game developer behind classics like *King of Fighters* and *Metal Slug*. Additionally, *The Ring* has been actively involved in promoting SNK’s upcoming *Fatal Fury: City of Wolves*, including a high-profile boxing match collaboration held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. Interestingly, Nishiyama himself once worked at SNK during the 1990s, where he created the *Fatal Fury* series and contributed to many flagship titles across SNK’s most popular franchises.

Japanese Gamers React to the Collaboration

Initial reactions from Japanese fans to the *The Ring x Dimps* collaboration have been a mix of surprise and curiosity. Many are eager to see what kind of boxing game Nishiyama will create, especially given his history of designing wild, rule-defying fighting mechanics in games like *Street Fighter* and *Fatal Fury*. On social media, users expressed excitement with comments like “What?!! I want to play it!” and speculation about how the final product will look and feel.

One X user, @ryo_redcyclone—who frequently posts content related to *Street Fighter*—shared their thoughts on the unique direction of this new title. They referenced a past comment from Nishiyama about choosing street fighting over traditional sports due to the creative limitations imposed by rules. Now that he's working on a boxing game—a sport governed by strict regulations—there’s genuine intrigue about how he’ll balance realism with his signature flair for exaggerated moves and eccentric characters.

Indeed, even *Street Fighter* features Balrog, a character clearly inspired by Mike Tyson, yet his move set—including kicks and the infamous Buffalo Head—is far from legal in real-world boxing. Fans are now watching closely to see whether *The Ring* and Dimps will lean into a hyper-realistic simulation or embrace a more stylized, arcade-style interpretation of the sport.

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