Xbox and IKEA have shown how the YXSTABY collection’s controller-inspired furniture took shape, from early concepts to details intended to help gaming gear fit into a shared living space. In an episode of the Official Xbox Podcast, host Malik Prince spoke with designers from both teams about the decisions behind the collection.
The nine-piece collection, first announced on August 26, is scheduled to reach IKEA on October 1, 2026. The episode adds a look at the design process, with IKEA’s Philip Dile and Xbox’s Carl Ledbetter describing how the partnership grew from shared attention to the people using their products and the homes around them.
The thumbstick stool began with Xbox sharing controller CAD with IKEA. After scaling up the shape, designer David Wahl found it looked out of proportion, so the teams worked through 3D-printed and CNC samples, materials, and seat curves to balance its recognizable silhouette with comfort. The finished stool can rock and rotate, while details beneath the seat draw on a thumbstick topper from the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller. One molded Easter egg is visible only before the stool is assembled.
The D-pad cushion also changed as the designers watched people interact with it during development. People began using it while playing, which led the team to add more structure inside for support and a more upright posture. The shape and piping required extra attention to keep the cushion’s form consistent.
Other pieces address the less flashy parts of setting up a gaming space. The TV stand puts cable management and storage behind the screen, with room for consoles, controllers, and headphones. The chair aims to blend into a living room rather than resemble a conventional gaming chair, while a pocket underneath can hold a controller or remote. Its counter-lever design allows some movement as the sitter leans back or forward.
The stainless-steel D-pad platter started as another stool idea, but the team changed course because the collection already had one. Designers considered wood veneer, felt, and clear and colored glass before settling on stainless steel. The controller display box takes a different approach to showing off gaming gear: its mirrored back reveals details hidden behind a controller, and removing the display hook turns it into a general-purpose case.
Which YXSTABY design detail would fit most naturally into your gaming space? For more on how gaming gear finds a place beyond the screen, stay connected with us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
