IKEA has really been getting into collaborations lately, with the new Lego storage solutions and stylish Sonos speaker lamps. This latest collaboration with the Republic of Gamers (aka ROG) promises to make your gaming furnishings more comfortable, ergonomic and affordable (allen key included).
While the announcement today was maddeningly non-specific, IKEA says the range will include roughly 30 products, and be launched in China in February 2021, with the rest of the world following from October 2021.
The announcement called out the fact that around 2.5 billion people are gamers, but that most large home furnishing stores overlook their needs. That’s a big market to be leaving on the table (or without a table, depending on how you look at it).
IKEA says the goal of this partnership with ROG is to design “high quality, innovative hardware and gear for and by gamers”. As well as “to help the many gamers (and their families) welcome gaming home through developing the new range of affordable and ergonomic gaming furniture and accessories, designed to increase performance while also blend in beautifully to homes.”
In a statement, Ewa Rychert, Global Business Leader of Workspace at IKEA, said: “There are a lot of existing conventions about gaming which are often stereotypical or negative, for example, all the games are built on violence, gaming is asocial and it is predominantly a men’s activity. In fact, figures show that gaming is among the most truly cross-demographic activities, and it can improve an individual’s mental health and general well-being… We hope that the new gaming range will help to embrace and enable the benefits of gaming in life at home. ”
Kris Huang, General Manager of ASUS Gaming Gear and Accessory Business Unit said: “ROG is thrilled to be partnering with IKEA to create the ultimate gaming lifestyle for gamers. Gamers have always dreamed of the perfect gaming space that is both comfortably functional and enables full immersion in games… Together with IKEA as an expert in home furnishing, we envision that this collaboration will create synergies that empower gamers to build the gaming space they have always imagined in the comfort of their own homes.”
This range will presumably become a part of, or sit alongside their existing listings for desks and chairs for gaming.
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