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 clever cable management, a multifunctional side table, a disguised laptop stand with storage, a handy monitor stand, a shiny platter, and a swish controller display box.
And while I couldn’t see myself sitting on the stool for hours during a marathon gaming session, even if it’s surprisingly more comfortable than it looks, it’s place in the collection makes total sense.
I also get why both the stool and the cushion lead the collection because they are so immediately recognisable as Xbox icons. But as a boring man in his late thirties, I think it’s the organisational products that are more exciting.
When I look at my desk now, it’s a scattered mess of chargers, controllers, cables, and other accessories. So, the idea of a monitor stand that works as an all-in-one solution to raise my dual screens to a comfortable eye level, while offering all the hooks and hideaways I might need to tidy everything away, or put a phone on display, as well as feature space for a console, sounds ideal.
If I could have taken one item from the set away with me right that second, it would be this one. And I feel many who prefer a clear workspace while on the clock, but also like to swap to a gaming setup in the evening, will find it an invaluable desk upgrade.
I feel the same about the side table, which offers an elegant way to put away controllers, headsets, and other accessories when you’re done playing, instead of leaving them scattered across a sofa or coffee table.
There’s also enough space inside to add a charger and run through USB cables to keep your gamepads fully juiced ahead of the next session. And it’s all hidden behind some swish sliding doors, on a side table that comes on castors so you can wheel it away or blend it in with your existing decor.
"We set out to make furniture people really want in their home, not furniture they accept because it is what you need to game,” said Philip Dilé, Product Design Developer at IKEA of Sweden, when discussing the origins of each piece. All items also had one continual IKEA and Xbox representative collaborate on them to ensure both style and function were represented.
Ultimately, it's that mix of play and functionality that comes to define the entire IKEA x Xbox collection: from a comfy cushion to a compact cabinet. And while not every item might find a place in my living room or office, I can see how many would easily find their way into a gaming space to liven it up in an amusing way or offer practicality when tidiness and space-saving are important.
The IKEA x Xbox collection launches later this year from October 1.
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