IKEA and Xbox design YXSTABY furniture for gamers and non-gamers

IKEA and Xbox introduced the YXSTABY collection at Gamescom, combining practical features for gamers with furniture designed to fit into a home. The collaboration includes a multifunctional side table, a TV stand, a controller display box, stools, seats and cushions.

Designers Philip Dilé of IKEA of Sweden and Carl Ledbetter of Xbox said the goal was to balance the playful nature of gaming with useful, adaptable products. The controller display box is aimed at people who collect controllers, while the TV stand can remain part of a living room or be moved forward for gaming.

The side table looks like minimalist IKEA furniture when closed. Its sliding doors reveal storage for controllers, headsets and battery packs, along with cable-management and power-connectivity features. Cable management repeatedly emerged as a challenge because people play throughout the home and do not want charging equipment left everywhere.

The teams also wanted products that non-gamers, and people who live with gamers, would be comfortable having at home. The collection avoids relying on RGB lighting and garish colors. YXSTABY consists of nine products and is set to launch in October later this year. Ledbetter said the partnership also addresses where controllers are kept after they are made; Xbox sells millions of controllers but does not control their storage at home.