Xbox Design Chief Carl Ledbetter Explains How a Famous Ikea Bookcase Secretly Shaped Console Designs for Years Ahead of New Collaboration Line
The nine-piece line adds subtle Xbox controller details and accessibility features, with pieces designed to fit into ordinary rooms, Ikea said.
- Xbox and Ikea unveiled the YXSTABY collection at Gamescom this week, a nine-piece gaming furniture line launching online and in stores on October 1. The collection integrates gaming equipment into living spaces with a minimalist aesthetic.
- Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the first Xbox console, the collaboration aims to create "furniture people really want in their home," according to Philip Dil, Product Design Developer at Ikea. Partners focused on blending gaming functionality with everyday decor.
- Standout items include a stool modeled after an Xbox controller thumbstick, a D-pad-shaped cushion, and rolling TV stands with cable management. Carl Ledbetter, head of design at Xbox, noted the team integrated subtle "Easter eggs" throughout the collection.
- Pieces like a monitor stand offer storage for headphones and phones, emphasizing accessibility and organization. The designs allow users to "bring play into a room and tuck everything away afterwards," according to Ikea's press release.
- Ledbetter isn't ruling out future collaborations between the companies. The teams currently have additional concepts on the table that weren't included in this launch due to production bandwidth constraints.
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I've seen the IKEA x Xbox collection at Gamescom, and among some goofier products, there's one handy item I want right now
When I get an close-up look at the IKEA x Xbox collection at Gamescom, with its mix of playful designs inspired by Microsoft’s hardware and practical storage solutions that scream the Swedish retailer’s minimalist approach, I can’t get over the ridiculousness of the thumbstick stool.It is, undoubtedly, the most absurd item in the nine-piece collaboration, which also features a squishy D-pad cushion, a sleek lounge chair, a moveable TV stand with…
Gaming is a billion-dollar business worldwide. However, the focus is no longer on hardware and software. Other markets are also developing in the environment, for example for gaming furniture. Ikea now wants to become a dominant player there.
The Ikea collection will soon also be on sale in Finland.
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