IKEA is revising its range of gaming furniture, and I think we need to assess the situation.
According to the Swedish flat pack furniture giant, the new collection, BRÄNNBOLL, offers “a versatile range of furniture, storage solutions and accessories, designed to not only improve the gaming experience but also support everyday scenarios beyond gameplay.” One of its big bets is the reintroduction of inflatable seating to the IKEA range after several famously disastrous attempts in the 80s. For all the fanfare, that inflatable seating appears to be a big doughnut ring you can sink into.
The 20-item BRÄNNBOLL collection also includes more conventional seating (though with some rather eccentric design quirks). Some of these chairs look like they’re suspended from a frame? I feel like that’s a little too close to a baby bouncer for my liking. Then again, I see enough gamer babies on Twitter day to day; perhaps they’d like one.
Then there’s the armchair, which is actually just a three-piece pull-out mattress on which someone has done a bit of origami.
There’s also various storage solutions, including little drinks carts you can strap your Switch to, and display boxes you can wall-mount.
See below for the full slideshow. IKEA says the BRÄNNBOLL range will launch around the world in September.
What do we make of this? I can see the utility for gamers moving into their first apartment, perhaps? For someone my age, I can’t see many of us rushing over to IKEA to pick any of it up. I, for one, would simply rather sit on my couch to play games.
Would you pick any of this up? Would you allow any of it to cross the threshold into your home? Please get in the comments and let me know.
Image: IKEA, Kotaku Australia
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