IKEA Teams Up With ASUS ROG, Start Selling Gaming Furniture in 2021

So many “weird” surprises this year. Today, IKEA publicly announced that they are teaming up with ASUS’ gaming brand, Republic of Gamers, to develop about 30 different “affordable gaming furniture and accessories.” Unfortunately, we have to wait until October 2021 because IKEA gaming products will launch in China in February 2021 first.

Ewa Rychert, IKEA Global Business Leader of Workspace, hopes that their new line of products will help more people embrace the benefits of gaming in the comfort of their homes.

“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. It’s a source of relaxation, independence, fun; through gaming, people develop skills within problem solving, teamwork and communication. Playing games also provides a new way of connecting with others which has become even more important recently to feel connected remotely. We hope that the new gaming range will help to embrace and enable the benefits of gaming in life at home.”

This isn’t the first time IKEA strayed into the gaming world. Just last month, IKEA Taiwan released their 2021 furniture catalog remade with screenshots from Animal Crossing: New Horizon on its Facebook page.

Just two months ago in July, the gaming accessories market reached an all-time high of $1.3 billion. Boosted by raising gaming trends from COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s no wonder that many non-gaming companies are now looking for ways to get into the gaming market. Another furniture producer, Herman-Miller, even collaborated with Logitech to release exclusive lines of gaming chairs and accessories.

These new gaming products are now currently developed in IKEA Product Development Centre in Shanghai. IKEA and ROG designers and engineers did workshops with both professional gamers and gaming enthusiasts in the region to make sure they can deliver a high-quality gaming experience at home. Excited to see what interesting ideas IKEA and ROG will release to the gaming market next year? Tell us what you think in the comments below.