Takashi Nishiyama, the creator of the iconic Street Fighter series, is embarking on a thrilling new venture: a boxing game developed in collaboration with The Ring, a renowned boxing magazine. The exciting news was shared on the official X account of Turki Alalshikh, who chairs Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and acquired The Ring in November 2024. This untitled game promises to bring together original characters and leverage The Ring’s authoritative stance in boxing alongside the seasoned expertise of Dimps, Nishiyama’s game development company.

Dimps, known for their recent release, Freedom Wars Remastered in January 2025, is set to start developing this new boxing title soon. The collaboration aims to fuse The Ring’s deep-rooted knowledge of the sport with Dimps’ proven track record in crafting engaging video games.

The involvement of the Saudi Arabian royal family in Japan’s gaming industry has been on the rise, highlighted by their complete acquisition of SNK’s shares in April 2024. The Ring Magazine has also played a role in promoting SNK's upcoming title, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, through a unique boxing match collaboration event at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26, 2025. Nishiyama's past at SNK, where he developed the Fatal Fury series and contributed significantly to other major franchises like Metal Slug and King of Fighters, adds an intriguing layer to this new project.

Japanese Reactions to The Ring x Dimps Collaboration

The announcement has sparked a range of reactions among Japanese gaming enthusiasts. From expressions of surprise and eagerness, such as "What?!! I want to play it!", to curiosity about the final product, the community is abuzz with anticipation. X user @ryo_redcyclone, known for Street Fighter-related posts, reflected on Nishiyama's past comments about focusing on street fighting due to the restrictive nature of sports with rules. He expressed curiosity about how Nishiyama will navigate the structured world of boxing in this new game.

Concerns among fans seem to revolve around whether the strict rules of boxing will constrain Nishiyama’s creative freedom, given his history of designing characters with flamboyant moves and quirky traits. For instance, Street Fighter's character Balrog, a Mike Tyson lookalike, uses moves like kicks and the Buffalo Head, which clearly violate professional boxing regulations. It remains to be seen whether The Ring and Dimps’ new boxing game will adopt a realistic portrayal of the sport or push boundaries with rule-breaking elements.

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