Swedish retailer Ikea has disclosed key details of its upcoming gaming-themed furniture lineup. It said it will globally launch the furniture, developed in collaboration with Asus and its Republic of Gamers (ROG) sub-brand, in October this year. The new gaming range will include more than 30 products, including furniture and accessories. Keeping in mind the requirements of gamers, this range includes products like gaming desks and chairs, a drawer unit, a mug holder, a mouse bungee, a neck pillow, and a ring light. Ikea said the gaming desks and chairs will be offered in different price ranges to meet the needs of different groups.
Out of the 30 products, only one product family — called Uppspel — has been designed in direct collaboration with Asus and ROG and the rest are “Ikea originals” designed by the retailer “based on the insights and knowledge gained from the collaboration”, it said.
As the number of gamers is increasing rapidly – around 2.5 billion worldwide – and the growth in the market, it was a natural move by the furniture giant to cater to this group. “We believe there’s a lot to be done to democratise the gaming experience,” said Ewa Rychert, Global Business Leader of Workspace, IKEA.
Much of the range has been given an aggressive black makeover. According to a report in The Verge, the gaming chairs will cost between $69 (roughly Rs. 5,000) and $349 (roughly Rs. 2,500), and the desk has a range up to $599 (roughly Rs. Rs 44,000). The cup holder will sell at $10 (roughly Rs. 700) and the mouse bungee at $12.99 (roughly Rs. 900).
Ikea said the new gaming range will easily blend into the home and help increase the gaming performance. Though Ikea has a long history of developing smart furniture, it said, “we are novices at gaming” and thus collaborated with “a real expert in the world of gaming”.
Johnny Chan, a Republic of Gamers designer, said they know a lot about “gamer needs, pain points and expectations”, and want to design solutions for immersive gaming experiences.
