Street Fighter creator Takashi Nishiyama is collaborating with the long-running boxing publication The Ring Magazine to develop a brand new boxing game. The announcement came via the official X account of Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who acquired the American magazine in November 2024.
According to the tweet, this untitled project will feature original characters, merging "The Ring’s unparalleled authority in boxing with game developer Dimps’ decades of experience in creating classic titles."
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, the company founded by Takashi Nishiyama, most recently released Freedom Wars Remastered in January 2025—an enhanced version of the PlayStation Vita title for modern consoles. Alalshikh’s tweet confirmed that development on the boxing game will commence shortly.
The Saudi Arabian royal family has significantly increased its investments in Japan's gaming industry over recent years. In April 2024, it was disclosed that the Saudi Crown Prince’s foundation acquired 100% of shares in Japanese game developer SNK. The Ring Magazine has also participated in promoting SNK’s upcoming Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, organizing a collaborative boxing match at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 26, 2025. Notably, Nishiyama previously worked at SNK in the 1990s, where he created the Fatal Fury series and contributed to flagship titles such as Metal Slug and King of Fighters.
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Japanese responses to The Ring and Dimps collaboration announcement have varied from surprised exclamations like "What?!! I want to play it!" to curiosity about the final game’s direction.
@ryo_redcyclone, an X user known for frequent Street Fighter content, commented on the news: "Reflecting on the original Street Fighter, Nishiyama once stated: 'I focused on street fighting because established sports are bound by rules.' Now he’s creating a game based on boxing—a rule-based sport—so I’m intrigued to see the result."
A key concern among fans is whether boxing’s structured rules might constrain Nishiyama’s creativity, given the diverse and unconventional characters and moves found in his previous fighting games.
While Street Fighter includes the Mike Tyson-inspired Balrog, his kicks and signature Buffalo Head attack clearly defy professional boxing regulations. It remains to be seen whether The Ring and Dimps’ new boxing game will adopt a realistic approach or embrace rule-breaking mechanics.
