Gamescom’s Wildest Reveal: IKEA and Xbox Drop 9 Offbeat Gaming Furniture Pieces
Sit down on an Xbox joystick for $40. Nope, not a prank: IKEA and Xbox just turned the controller into a furniture line. Nine pieces, bargain prices, and a name you’ll never pronounce—YXSTABY—straight out of the ultimate Swedish catalog.
Unveiled at Gamescom 2026—which was full of surprises this year—the YXSTABY collection starts from a simple idea: gamers deserve furniture made for them, but without the spaceship cockpit look. The design teams from both brands, whose collab was teased before the show, actually visited gamers’ homes before sketching a single prototype.
Image credit: Xbox | Ikea
A $40 joystick stool and a D-pad cushion: IKEA turns the Xbox controller into home decor
Out of the nine pieces, two instantly steal the show. The joystick stool, priced at $39.99, perfectly mimics the look and feel of an Xbox analog stick. The seat features that signature diamond pattern, while rubber rings underneath keep it grippy and echo the controller’s vibe. It’s part design object, part cheeky gaming nod. The other standout? The D-pad cushion at $14.99. Shaped like a classic directional pad, it took countless prototypes to nail the right balance.
See this post on Instagram
“I took several prototypes home to test them out day to day. We finally created a cushion that’s playful, cozy, and just eye-catching enough,” says Darja Nordberg, IKEA designer. At this price, it’s hard not to fall for the most unexpected accessory of Gamescom 2026, which kicked off August 25 with Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night Live.
9 pieces made for gamers (but nothing like typical gaming furniture)
Beyond the two headline pieces, the YXSTABY collection covers your whole gaming setup with one clear philosophy: blend into your living room without screaming “gamer.” While Microsoft is prepping a $1,000 high-end Xbox, this collection goes the other way, focusing on wallet-friendly prices. Here’s the full lineup:
- Gaming armchair with a pocket under the seat for your controller — $99.95
- TV stand on wheels with built-in cable management — $99.95
- Side table with sliding felt doors and a charging spot for controllers — $129
- Monitor stand (98 cm) — $29.99
- Laptop stand (43 cm) — $24.99
- Stainless steel tray inspired by the D-pad — $14.99
- Two display boxes for controllers (black and white, 16 cm) — $19.99 each
The armchair is light and easy to move, built for versatility. “The pocket under the seat is perfect for keeping your controller close,” says Ryan Whitaker, Xbox designer. The TV stand rolls your whole setup from room to room in seconds. No RGB lights, no aggressive plastics: every piece could slip into a regular IKEA catalog and no one would bat an eye.
Designers visited gamers’ homes to see how they really play
The design process explains why this collection just works. Before sketching anything, the joint IKEA and Xbox teams went to gamers’ homes to see their real habits. Tangled cables, controllers left everywhere, screens too far from the couch—every YXSTABY product solves a real-life annoyance. “For each product, we asked ourselves how we could fix a problem gamers actually face,” says Carl Ledbetter, Xbox device design lead.
The collaboration kicked off at a workshop in Älmhult, Sweden, IKEA’s historic hometown. “We obsessed over every detail: materials, perfect proportions, even the stitching color. I’m incredibly proud of what we created together,” adds Carl Ledbetter. Xbox made plenty of announcements at Gamescom, including the controversial Fable heroine redesign, but this foray into furniture might just be the one everyone remembers.
No release date or country list has been announced yet. Will YXSTABY kick off a lasting trend—gaming furniture that doesn’t apologize for being gaming—or will it be a one-off, lost somewhere between the Billy shelves and the Xbox booth at Gamescom?
