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It’s easy to find gaming-themed throw pillows or other tchotchkes on Etsy or elsewhere on the internet, but an official collaboration is a rare sight. Needless to say, I was intrigued when IKEA invited me to see their collaboration with Xbox at Gamescom.
The set, called the “YXSTABY” collection, consists of nine pieces. Some, like the thumbstick stool or the D-Pad pillow, practically scream “Xbox!” in a display of nerd cred, though others are more subtle and focused on utility over eye-candy appeal. I spoke to David Wahl, Designer at IKEA of Sweden, who talked me through several of the products and the philosophy of the collaboration. These products will launch in US stores beginning on Thursday, October 1, 2026, and will be purchasable online starting on November 30.
The thumbstick stool, which is based directly on the Xbox controller analog stick (but scaled up and modified to accommodate a human butt) probably isn’t something you want to sit on for hours on end, but it’s perfect for a visiting ‘player 2’ to go a few rounds, and its flat surface also makes for a decent gaming-themed side table.
It doesn’t have the same range of movement as a real analog stick, but it does rock a little, allowing for players to bounce and bop around while playing. There were earlier versions of the stool that were described as ‘fun’ but were maybe a little too dangerous for everyday use, since they had a much wider range of movement akin to a real analog stick. “It was so fun to sit on, but potentially dangerous,” Wahl reminisced, with a nostalgic grin. “Then we made a super boring one that didn’t move at all. There’s a balance to finding one where you can still rock on the chair and feel a bit active.”
If the thumbstick stool is a gaming gimmick with a degree of practical utility, the proper armless lounge chair is the real deal. It doesn’t look Xbox-themed, but it’s cozy to sit in and has a nifty compartment under the seat to discreetly store a controller. Being armless, you might get a bit fatigued after a long gaming session, but that’s where the new D-Pad pillow comes in. It’s got the classic videogame D-Pad shape and comes in a distinctly Xbox shade of green. I was able to take one of these pillows home with me and I’ve got to admit, it’s pretty rad.
It’s sturdy but soft and the shape is ergonomic and versatile. Behind your neck, comforting your lower back, or on your lap, it does what a pillow is supposed to do, with enough give to be comfortable without compromising its shape. Maybe that sounds like high praise for a pillow, but if you have back, neck, or shoulder problems, you know that a good pillow is hard to find. Wahl agrees: “The more we used it, we found it’s actually really functional and playful, even while you’re working.” Maybe you’ll have trouble finding a pillowcase to accommodate its unique shape, but that’s tomorrow’s problem.
Another cool piece is the ‘controller platter,’ a plate built with the exact dimensions of the Elite D-Pad, just scaled up. “The shape of the D-Pad is really nice on its own,” explained Wahl. “My dad would like it. But if you know it’s the D-Pad, that’s a whole other level of connection to gaming. That’s the kind of thing we sought to achieve with this collection.” There’s not much to say about this one, other than that it’s pretty and seems like a good place to throw your keys when you get home from work. The mock game room they had set up at the booth had a bunch of these on the wall, which looked nice and evoked the old Americana imagery of hubcaps as wall decor, just updated for the Gamer (™) aesthetic.
Another noteworthy piece is the TV stand, which is IKEA’s first TV stand with wheels. It accommodates televisions up to around 55 inches, and has a nifty back shelf that lets you stash controllers, power strips, and even a console or two without them taking up precious display space. It’s not the flashiest design (in fact, it looks downright utilitarian), but it’s a great solution when it comes to console storage and making efficient use of your space. If you live in a tiny apartment in a big city, you know how important it is to make use of every inch of living space.
The stand showcases one of the main hooks of this collaboration, which is not just to make stuff that’s Xbox-themed, but to craft IKEA pieces that cater to the needs of videogame enthusiasts. “We didn’t want to just take an IKEA sofa and put the Xbox logo on it. We wanted to make something from scratch and truly show the collaboration between the brands.” If there’s one thing most videogame players can agree on, it’s that we could always use more storage space to store accessories like spare controllers, USB dongles, charging cords, batteries, headsets, etc. Sure, the side table might not be big enough to discreetly stash an entire suite of Stage Tour musical instruments (you’ll need a whole closet for that!), but it will go a long way towards making your game room a little more tidy, much to the relief of your significant other, your parents, or your non-gaming roommates.
The final piece I want to mention is the gaming laptop support stand, which looks kind of like a fruit basket. If your laptop is a little old or mighty powerful and runs hot, the elevated stand will help dissipate the heat, and the extra height is great for gaming or watching videos. Plus, true to the theme, the stand has room for storing accessories like gaming controllers, microphones, a mouse or external keyboard, and your laptop charger.
Overall, this isn’t a way to “gameify” your videogame room. This is not a collection of LED strips and lava lamps. This is a collection of pieces that offer a mix of style and utility for Xbox enthusiasts that offers comfort and flair to accentuate your living room, den, game room, ‘man cave,’ or whatever you want to call it, and to make that space even more accommodating to long hours of playing videogames. In that goal, it’s hard to see the YXSTABY collection as anything other than a resounding success.