I was recently invited to Gamescom to check out the gaming collaboration I never thought I needed: the new IKEA x XBOX furniture range.
It's easy to find gaming-themed throw pillows or other tchotchkes on Etsy or elsewhere on the internet, but an official collaboration is a rare sight. Needless to say, I was intrigued when IKEA invited me to see their collaboration with Xbox at Gamescom.
The set, called the "YXSTABY" collection, consists of nine pieces. Some, like the thumbstick stool or the D-Pad pillow, practically scream "Xbox!" in a display of nerd cred, though others are more subtle and focused on utility over eye-candy appeal. I spoke to David Wahl, Designer at IKEA of Sweden, who talked me through several of the products and the philosophy of the collaboration. These products will launch in US stores beginning on Thursday, October 1, 2026, and will be purchasable online starting on November 30.
The thumbstick stool, which is based directly on the Xbox controller analog stick (but scaled up and modified to accommodate a human butt) probably isn't something you want to sit on for hours on end, but it's perfect for a visiting 'player 2' to go a few rounds, and its flat surface also makes for a decent gaming-themed side table.
It doesn't have the same range of movement as a real analog stick, but it does rock a little, allowing for players to bounce and bop around while playing. There were earlier versions of the stool that were described as 'fun' but were maybe a little too dangerous for everyday use, since they had a much wider range of movement akin to a real analog stick. "It was so fun to sit on, but potentially dangerous," Wahl reminisced, with a nostalgic grin. "Then we made a super boring one that didn't move at all. There's a balance to finding one where you can still rock on the chair and feel a bit active."
If the thumbstick stool is a gaming gimmick with a degree of practical utility, the proper armless lounge chair is the real deal. It doesn't look Xbox-themed, but it's cozy to sit in and has a nifty compartment under the seat to discreetly store a controller. Being armless, you might get a bit fatigued after a long gaming session, but that's where the new D-Pad pillow comes in. It's got the classic videogame D-Pad shape and comes in a distinctly Xbox shade of green. I was able to take one of these pillows home with me and I've got to admit, it's pretty rad.
It's sturdy but soft and the shape is ergonomic and versatile. Behind your neck, comforting your lower back, or on your lap, it does what a pillow is supposed to do, with enough give to be comfortable without compromising its shape. Maybe that sounds like high praise for a pillow, but if you have back, neck, or shoulder problems, you know that a good pillow is hard to find. Wahl agrees: "The more we used it, we found it's actually really functional and playful, even while you're working." Maybe you'll have trouble finding a pillowcase to accommodate its unique shape, but that's tomorrow's problem.
Another cool piece is the 'controller platter,' a plate built with the exact dimensions of the Elite D-Pad, just scaled up. "The shape of the D-Pad is really nice on its own," explained Wahl. "My dad would like it. But if you know it's the D-Pad, that's a whole other level of connection to gaming. That's the kind of thing we sought to achieve with this collection." There's not much to say about this one, other than that it's pretty and seems like a good place to throw your keys when you get home from work. The mock game room they had set up at the booth had a bunch of these on the wall, which looked nice and evoked the old Americana imagery of hubcaps as wall decor, just updated for the Gamer (™) aesthetic.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://www.pcgamesn.com/gamescom/ikea-x-xbox-collab
