Ikea's Gaming Furniture Collection, Ranked
It’s the year my kid gets to pick out new furniture in her room now that she’s graduating from a convertible crib to a Big Kid Bed. I’m hoping some of Ikea’s new Brännboll gaming collection, which launches in September, catches her eye. Ikea says the new furniture is inspired “by the evolving and diverse needs of gamers and those who live with them.” All gamers seem represented, from the esports trainers to cozy gamers who love to lounge around in their most comfortable pair of sweatpants.
If you’re a fan of the original Real World series from the glory days of MTV, you’ll notice some of the furniture has a distinctly ‘90s aesthetic. Some designs are a bit abstract, like the wall-mounted display cabinets and the 8-bit ska rug. The textiles harken back to a time when we were less online. Ikea even revived the inflatable chair from that era.
We don’t know how much this collection will cost or the official names of the furniture. Ikea will likely spill the deets closer to the collection’s arrival date. Until then, here’s an entirely subjective ranking of Brännboll based on what I hope my kid will pick out for her eventual room remodel.
Is this a rocking chair?
This rocking-chair-slash-chair is the first in this slideshow, which makes it the last thing I hope my kid picks out from the lineup. (We’re going in reverse this time!) I’m ranking this last because a rocking chair is not for everyone. I know this anecdotally: I’ve had a handful of friends ask if I wanted their hand-me-down rocking chair, thus leading me to conclude that this might be more of a room accessory, like Ikea’s Poäng of yore. (I still have one of those chairs floating around here somewhere.)
8-Bit ska rug
This 8-bit wannabe ska rug reminds me of my skankin’ days—brrr-up-chup!—but if they were in 8-bit mode. I would still listen to ska if it were a little less trumpet and more electronic flair. Anyway, you can use your Quest on it.
Hideaway gaming station
This piece of furniture seems like a major commitment for a room. You’d have to decide that this is a piece of furniture you’ll design around because otherwise, it will stick out like a sore gaming thumb. But this is a fantastic way to signal that game time is over for a kid, so I’m hoping there will be something that looks a little less... flimsy by the time she’s a little older.
This basket is a table
According to the product description on its main announcement page, this is a “multifunctional basket that doubles as a movable self-standing table.” I want to see this in action. I’m not convinced it is also not flimsy. Look at it.
Wall-mounted display cabinets
These display cabinets are nice, and they are blue-hued, which is one of my kid’s favorite colors. It’s also much better than the existing crop of furniture IKEA has for showing off collectibles and things—I don’t want something that looks like it belongs in a Swedish farmhouse, and I definitely don’t want my house to look like a museum devoted to my hobby of overspending on things I didn’t have as a child. These display cabinets seem like they’ll make for a lighter landing.
Gaming cart on wheels
This rollout gaming cart is fun. Since Ikea and ASUS teamed up in 2021 for another gaming-themed collaboration, there’s an ASUS ROG Ally strapped to it. The cart seems like something that would help me in my office—what I lovingly refer to as the “Flo Lab.” It’s the side-mounted pegboards that do it for me.
Inflatable donut chair
This is the inflatable seat that Ikea reimagined for the new age. I’m obsessed with it and want it in every color for every room in the house.
It’s hard to tell in the photos whether it’s comfortable. But I do see it comes with an ottoman, side table, or whatever you might use this for.
Convertible lounge chair
Ikea says that seating is the focal point of this collection. I’m feeling this convertible lounge chair. It reminds me of the all-foam sleeper chairs we used to have in the ‘90s—I had one I would lay out on the floor when I was in the mood to play Sega Genesis. Ikea’s version looks like it’ll last longer since it has reinforcements.
