The nine-piece collection brings joystick-inspired stools, functional TV stands, comfortable gaming chairs, and more to gaming setups at home
IKEA YXSTABY has arrived in the Philippines. The collaboration between IKEA and XBOX upgrades many people’s gaming setups with joystick-inspired stools, functional TV stands, comfortable gaming chairs, and more.
It’s a collaboration no one saw coming, but on second thought, it makes perfect sense. What does a furniture brand know about gaming, and what does a gaming company know about design? Quite a lot, it turns out.
WHEN TWO DESIGN TEAMS MEET
With an estimated three billion gamers worldwide today, gaming has changed how people spend their time and furnish their homes.
Global giants IKEA and XBOX came together to design YXSTABY, a nine-piece collection for gamers, with one designer from each company drawing on their expertise in comfort, design, and gamer needs. In Filipino households, this means a gaming chair can move from a shared bedroom to the dining room when everyone is asleep, and a TV stand can move to the living room for multiplayer gameplay. It may also stop the family from complaining about gaming accessories all over the house.
One might even say it’s a small step toward world peace, as it settles the argument in countless homes about how gaming can ruin a house’s aesthetics.
“XBOX knows what players need from their gaming setup, and we know how to solve the small problems that come with adapting that to everyday life at home. Together, 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.
Carl Ledbetter, head of design for XBOX Devices, said, “We share a common design ethos: we want to help people solve the challenges they face in their everyday lives.”
THE PASAY LAUNCH
In a true coming together of two worlds, IKEA launched the YXSTABY collection at its Pasay showroom on November 4 with interactive room settings that show what a gaming setup can be. Attended by design lovers, gaming enthusiasts, and cosplayers, the launch event referenced IKEA’s iconic blue and yellow FRAKTA carryall bag with a cosplay runway, followed by immersive station tours.
“For Filipino gamers, the collaboration is even sweeter with IKEA’s affordable pricing and insights into how people really live, especially since the Philippines ranks first globally among internet users who play video games on any device and play an average of 11 hours per week, the highest weekly gaming time globally,” said May Castillo, sales leader at IKEA Philippines.
WHAT’S IN THE COLLECTION
“The YXSTABY collection is inspired from XBOX gaming controllers, designed around the way gamers actually play, and splashed with IKEA’s sense of fun,” added Sarah Cox, selling manager at IKEA Philippines.
- Gaming lounge chair: Accommodates a player’s forward-leaning position for early gameplay and a reclining position for longer play.
- Rolling side table: Keeps gaming accessories at hand.
- Cable storage: A flexible solution with felt inserts to keep things protected, which also unfolds into a laptop stand.
- TV stand on castors: Lets gamers move their setup from one room to another.
For families with limited space, gaming no longer has to be in one room that serves multiple functions through the day, from homework and meal prep to eating and work meetings. They can easily cart the TV stand to wherever the game is.
XBOX’s influence shows in the playful details:
- Gaming D-pad cushion: Inspired by the “+”-shaped directional button on the controller.
- Stainless steel platter: Also inspired by the D-pad.
- Tilting thumbstick stool: Draws from the controller’s analog stick.
- Mirrored display box: For prized controllers and gaming collectibles.
The coming together of IKEA and XBOX, each a leader in its own field, just might be the best thing since the save button.
WHERE TO BUY
Visit the IKEA showroom at Mall of Asia, Pasay, and shop online at www.ikea.com.ph.