IKEA and Xbox YXSTABY Collection Is Here — How Gaming Inspired the Designs
IKEA and Xbox have officially brought their YXSTABY gaming collection to market, turning familiar Xbox controller shapes and gaming habits into furniture and accessories designed for everyday living.
The nine-piece collection, developed jointly by IKEA and Xbox, became available in multiple markets on October 1, 2026, following its August unveiling at Gamescom. Availability varies by country, with IKEA saying the collection is rolling out in stores and online during the autumn.
The collaboration goes beyond putting an Xbox logo on conventional gaming furniture. According to IKEA, designers from both companies worked together on each piece, combining Xbox’s gaming experience with IKEA’s expertise in home furnishings.
The official Xbox Podcast offered a closer look at how some of the unusual designs came together.
How Xbox Controller Ideas Became Furniture
One of the clearest examples is the YXSTABY gaming thumbstick stool.
Xbox designer Elliot Hsu explained that the team provided IKEA with the original CAD design of an Xbox thumbstick. IKEA designer David Wahl then had to scale that concept into something people could actually sit on.
The challenge was keeping the recognizable thumbstick appearance without simply creating an oversized controller component.
The designers experimented with 3D-printed and CNC samples, different materials and different seat curves. They also had to adapt the controller’s textured diamond pattern because reproducing it at a larger scale would have made the stool uncomfortable.
The finished stool can tilt and move, echoing the movement of a thumbstick while functioning as seating.
IKEA says the thumbstick stool was developed using original 3D design files from Xbox device designers, with details inspired by Xbox controller components appearing throughout the product.
The D-Pad Becomes a Cushion and More
The collection also transforms the Xbox D-pad into several home products.
The D-pad cushion started as a visual interpretation of the controller’s directional pad, but the designers discovered another use during prototyping.
As people interacted with it, they began using the cushion while playing games. That led the team to adjust the internal materials and structure to provide additional support and make the cushion more suitable for active use.
The designers also spent considerable time refining the piping around the complex shape.
Another D-pad-inspired product is a stainless-steel controller platter. The design originated from the faceted D-pad used on Xbox Elite controllers.
According to the podcast discussion, the designers considered materials including wood veneer, felt and glass before settling on stainless steel.
IKEA’s official collection description confirms that the D-pad became both a cushion and a decorative stainless-steel platter.
Gaming Chairs Were Designed to Blend Into the Home
The YXSTABY gaming chair takes a different approach.
Rather than following the aggressive styling traditionally associated with gaming chairs, IKEA and Xbox wanted something that could sit naturally in a living room.
The designers focused on ergonomics, reclining positions and movement while gaming. The chair also includes storage underneath for controllers and other items.
Green stitching and smaller design details provide Xbox-inspired visual cues without turning the entire chair green.
IKEA says the broader collection uses muted white, black and beige tones, with green accents highlighting pockets, slings and storage areas for gaming equipment.
A Display Box for Gaming Collectibles
For players who collect controllers, another YXSTABY product is a dedicated gaming controller display box.
The designers said the idea came from recognizing that controllers can become personal collectibles rather than simply gaming accessories.
The display box includes a mirror surface that allows details on the back of a controller to remain visible. The internal hook can also be removed, allowing the box to display other collectibles.
That means the product can be used for controllers, figurines or other objects a player wants to showcase.
IKEA’s official description similarly positions the mirrored display box as a way to show controllers alongside other collectibles.
The Collection Is Built Around Everyday Gaming
The YXSTABY collection contains nine products, including the thumbstick stool, D-pad cushion, controller display box, gaming chair, rolling TV stand, monitor stand, laptop holder with storage, rolling side table and D-pad controller platter. IKEA’s current German collection page lists all nine products.
The larger idea behind the collaboration is that gaming does not always happen in a dedicated gaming room.
IKEA says YXSTABY was designed around gaming that happens in living rooms, at dining tables and alongside other everyday activities. Several products therefore focus on storage, mobility and keeping gaming equipment organized when a session is over.
The rollout is also happening at different times depending on the market. IKEA Germany lists October 1 for store availability and October 15 for online ordering, while IKEA’s U.S. announcement says the collection is arriving in stores and online during autumn.
For Xbox fans, the more interesting part of YXSTABY may ultimately be how many controller details made the jump from the screen-side gaming experience into ordinary home furniture.
