Tatsunoko fighter creator Takashi Nishiyama is teaming up with legendary boxing publication The Ring to develop an all-new boxing title. The unexpected collaboration was revealed by Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, through his official X account. Alalshikh previously acquired The Ring magazine in November 2024.

Legendary Developer Returns to Combat Sports

The untitled project promises to combine The Ring's boxing expertise with Dimps Corporation's game development legacy. Nishiyama, who leads Dimps, is known for revolutionizing fighting games with his work on Street Fighter and Fatal Fury series.

The official announcement states the game will feature original characters, blending:

• The Ring's authoritative boxing coverage
• Dimps' decades of fighting game experience

"Together with legendary Japanese game designer Takashi Nishiyama, I'm proud to announce our boxing game featuring original characters. This partnership unites our expertise in sports with world-class game development."

Dimps' most recent release was January 2025's Freedom Wars Remastered, an enhanced version of the PlayStation Vita title. The new boxing game marks Nishiyama's return to sports-themed fighting after creating the original Street Fighter.

Saudi Arabia's Growing Gaming Investments

Saudi interests have been actively expanding into Japanese gaming. The Saudi government acquired SNK in April 2024, and The Ring has been promoting SNK's upcoming Fatal Fury: City of Wolves through special boxing events.

Nishiyama himself has deep ties to SNK, having created the Fatal Fury series and contributed to Metal Slug and King of Fighters during the 90s. This new venture represents his first major original fighting game project in years.

Fans React With Cautious Optimism

Japanese gaming enthusiasts have expressed both excitement and curiosity about the unusual collaboration:

• "What?! I need to play this!" - Surprised reactions
• "How will boxing rules affect Nishiyama's signature freeform style?"

One prominent fighting game commentator noted the irony: "Nishiyama originally chose street fighting to avoid sports rules. Now he's tackling boxing - it'll be fascinating to see his approach."

The biggest question remains whether the game will embrace realistic boxing constraints or break rules like Nishiyama's past fighting games featuring exaggerated characters and moves. His previous boxing-inspired character Balrog (Mike Tyson homage) incorporated illegal headbutts and kicks - completely violating professional boxing regulations.