IKEA has already jumped into tech with a smart home division and AR furniture app, but now it’s making a leap into an entirely new category: PC gaming. The Swedish company has announced that it’s teaming up with ASUS’ Republic of Gamers (ROG) division to create “affordable gaming furniture accessories” with a line of around 30 products.
The gaming range will be developed by the IKEA Product Development Center in Shanghai. IKEA said its designers held workshops with ROG designers, along with professional gamers and “gaming lovers” to nail down the functionality needed for home gaming furniture
“By teaming up with ROG, IKEA wants to combine its home furnishing knowledge with ROG’s expertise in creating exceptional gaming experience,” the company wrote. IKEA mentioned it would design and build “affordable gaming furniture and accessories,” though it didn’t say exactly which products it would create with ROG. It seems likely that gaming desks and chairs will part of the mix, however.
IKEA and ROG aren’t the first to do such a collaboration, as Logitech recently teamed with Herman Miller on a gaming chair. However, IKEA might take a different approach, aesthetically speaking.The company said it sees gaming as “cross-demographic,” so its furniture designs could blend in better with your decor than other gaming chairs and furniture. We’ll find out soon enough, as the range will launch in China in February of 2021 and be available in the US and elsewhere by October, 2021.
Author: Steve Dent, @stevetdent
2h ago
Source: Engadget
