Xbox and IKEA Tease a Gaming Furniture Line Ahead of Gamescom

A Cushion Shaped Like a D-Pad Is Not a Drill

Somewhere in a product development meeting, someone pitched the idea of a throw cushion modeled after an Xbox controller’s D-pad, and enough people said yes that it is now a real thing being teased online. Microsoft and IKEA confirmed on August 18 that the two companies have been working together on a collection of gaming-inspired furniture and home accessories, with the full lineup set to be revealed at Gamescom on August 26, according to Dexerto.

The teaser, shared on IKEA’s official Instagram, keeps most of the collection out of frame. What it does show is a D-pad cushion and a noticeably larger piece that resembles an analog stick. The second item’s size and shape have already sparked speculation that it might be a stool or a table. A few other objects appear briefly in the Xbox-themed room shown in the clip, but no names or descriptions were attached to any of them.

Prices, a release date, and the total number of products in the range have not yet been announced. Those details are expected at the Gamescom reveal.

Hardware as Home Decor

What makes this collaboration stand out from previous IKEA gaming ventures is the design direction. Rather than producing desks and chairs built around a gaming aesthetic, the Xbox collection takes recognizable hardware shapes and turns them into furniture and home accessories. According to Dexerto, citing Parade, designers from both IKEA and Xbox collaborated on the project, pairing the retailer’s home furnishing background with Microsoft’s gaming expertise.

IKEA is no stranger to the gaming space. The company previously partnered with ASUS Republic of Gamers on a range containing more than 30 products, including chairs, desks, storage units, and accessories. That line leaned into the traditional gaming setup format. The Xbox collaboration appears to be taking a different approach, pulling the imagery of gaming hardware directly into living room decor rather than building a dedicated gaming station.

It is a subtle but meaningful distinction. A desk designed for gaming still looks like a desk. A stool that looks like an analog stick is a conversation piece whether or not you own an Xbox.

Timing and Context

The announcement lands during Xbox’s 25th anniversary celebrations, and Dexerto notes it follows a growing number of collaborations the brand has been pursuing outside the traditional games industry. Teaming up with one of the world’s most recognizable furniture retailers fits that pattern, and choosing Gamescom as the stage for the full reveal puts the collection in front of one of gaming’s largest annual audiences.

For IKEA, the partnership continues a push into gamer culture that started well before this collaboration. The company has spent several years positioning itself as a viable option for people who want their gaming spaces to feel like real rooms rather than gear storage. Pairing with a first-party console brand rather than a peripheral manufacturer is a natural next step in that direction.

What the full collection looks like beyond a cushion and a probable analog stick stool remains to be seen. But August 26 is not far off, and Gamescom tends to be a reliable place to answer exactly these kinds of questions.