Street Fighter creator Takashi Nishiyama is teaming up with long-running boxing publication The Ring to develop a new boxing title. The announcement was made via the official X account of Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. Alalshikh acquired the American magazine The Ring in November 2024.
According to the post, the untitled game will introduce original characters and blend "The Ring’s unmatched authority in boxing with game developer Dimps’ decades of experience producing 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.
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) May 5, 2025
This strategic partnership between myself and Nishiyama brings together our unmatched authority in… pic.twitter.com/LRWyyZzkpz
Dimps is Takashi Nishiyama’s company. Its most recent release was Freedom Wars Remastered, an updated version of the PlayStation Vita title for modern consoles launched in January 2025. Alalshikh's tweet confirmed that development on the boxing game will start shortly.
The Saudi Arabian royal family has deepened its involvement in Japan’s gaming industry in recent years. In April 2024, it was revealed that the Saudi Crown Prince’s foundation now holds 100% of shares in Japanese game company SNK. The Ring Magazine also promoted SNK’s upcoming Fatal Fury: City of Wolves by hosting a collaborative boxing match at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 26, 2025. Notably, Nishiyama previously worked at SNK in the 1990s, creating the Fatal Fury series and producing entries in flagship SNK franchises like Metal Slug and King of Fighters.
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Japanese fans have responded to The Ring and Dimps collaboration with a mix of surprise—"What?!! I want to play it!"—and curiosity about the final product.
X user @ryo_redcyclone, known for posting Street Fighter content, commented: “Reflecting on the first Street Fighter, Nishiyama once said, ‘I focused on street fighting because established sports are limited by rules.’ This time, he’s tackling boxing—a rule-based sport—so I’m intrigued to see the result.”
Much of the discussion centers on whether boxing’s regulations will constrain Nishiyama’s creativity, especially given the eccentric characters and unconventional moves in his earlier fighting games.
While Street Fighter features Mike Tyson-inspired Balrog, his kicks—and especially his Buffalo Head attack—clearly break professional boxing rules. It remains to be seen whether The Ring and Dimps’ new game will favor realism or embrace creative freedom.
