If IKEA Made a Dedicated Gaming Table, Would You Buy It?
- Thread starter Jack of Shadows
- Start date
Aaron L
Hero
No, I much prefer to sit around a living room, relaxing on couches and comfy chairs, preferably with fold-out trays or the like for each person.
I have a very bad back and sitting on a hard chair for more than an hour or so is a no-no for me, and if I do it gives me problems for several days afterwards.
Also, I like enough space between everyone that you can look at each other straight on, rather than having to turn to speak to someone sitting directly next to you at a table, and I need lots of space to stretch out and not be squashed up next to someone else, or I won't be able to enjoy myself.
I have a very bad back and sitting on a hard chair for more than an hour or so is a no-no for me, and if I do it gives me problems for several days afterwards.
Also, I like enough space between everyone that you can look at each other straight on, rather than having to turn to speak to someone sitting directly next to you at a table, and I need lots of space to stretch out and not be squashed up next to someone else, or I won't be able to enjoy myself.
C.W.Richeson
Explorer
I wouldn't, as I really don't care for gaming at tables at all any more. A battle mat on the coffee table is as close as I'll come to leaving my casual living room setup.
patrickgamer
First Post
I wonder how many of the people who voted "No" would change their minds if IKEA was swapped out for another name brand... I don't really have a problem with IKEA but I know there are some things I wouldn't buy from them that I may still get elsewhere.
frankthedm
First Post
Prefab Furniture usually sucks nowadays. Most of time it is an overpriced piece of crap or just overpriced. People throw out better furniture than one finds in most stores. Gimme Sanford & Son Chic any day over lighting money on fire for matching furniture that won't last a decade.
I have a Bjursta table from Ikea. It fits nicely in our dining nook for normal use, and when I want to game I slap in the extender leaves and it easily accomodates six people plus GM. Some of it's pine, some of it's particleboard -- I knew what I was buying when I got it, and I'm satisfied. It cost me $200. This is a ton cheaper than I'd have gotten a similar table made completely of solid wood.
My chairs are also from IKEA, and I paid more for the six of them in total than I did for the table. I could have gone cheaper, but people sit on chairs and they need to be sturdy. Thus, no way was I shopping at the bottom of the price range.
If you know the IKEA product matrix, you'll get what you want there without surprises. IKEA has three price ranges -- high, medium, and low; they have four styles. When they develop new product, they start out by figuring out where the holes are in their current product line and develop furniture to fill the holes. The Bjurstas are the cheap minimalist style tables; the IKEA Stockholm tables are a high price range item.
Another example -- my bookshelves need to be sturdier than my tables, because hey, I put more weight on them. (I'm a gamer. Come on.) So when I went to buy bookshelves, I did not get the cheap Billy shelves. For my slew of paperbacks, I wound up with pricy solid wood IKEA Stockholm shelves; for gaming books I wound up with a bunch of Expedits -- not solid wood but still a mid-range shelf in the product matrix, and ideal for 8.5x11" books.
When people get down on IKEA, it's usually because they saw the cheapo Billy shelves and got a few and saw 'em fall apart within a year, which they do. But that's not the only thing they offer.
Anyhow, I voted yes, because I already have a gaming table from IKEA.
My chairs are also from IKEA, and I paid more for the six of them in total than I did for the table. I could have gone cheaper, but people sit on chairs and they need to be sturdy. Thus, no way was I shopping at the bottom of the price range.
If you know the IKEA product matrix, you'll get what you want there without surprises. IKEA has three price ranges -- high, medium, and low; they have four styles. When they develop new product, they start out by figuring out where the holes are in their current product line and develop furniture to fill the holes. The Bjurstas are the cheap minimalist style tables; the IKEA Stockholm tables are a high price range item.
Another example -- my bookshelves need to be sturdier than my tables, because hey, I put more weight on them. (I'm a gamer. Come on.) So when I went to buy bookshelves, I did not get the cheap Billy shelves. For my slew of paperbacks, I wound up with pricy solid wood IKEA Stockholm shelves; for gaming books I wound up with a bunch of Expedits -- not solid wood but still a mid-range shelf in the product matrix, and ideal for 8.5x11" books.
When people get down on IKEA, it's usually because they saw the cheapo Billy shelves and got a few and saw 'em fall apart within a year, which they do. But that's not the only thing they offer.
Anyhow, I voted yes, because I already have a gaming table from IKEA.
Jeff Wilder
First Post
If it were big enough (say six feet by seven feet), with the right features (shelving, pen grooves, dice holders, raised map surface), I'd buy an IKEA-priced game table, definitely.
CharlesRyan
Adventurer
Funny you should mention it, but I bought a game table from IKEA just a few weeks ago!
It's a Norden table; you can have a look here: IKEA | Small space dining | Extendable tables | NORDEN | Gateleg table
Nothing exceptionally gamery about it, except that:
I wouldn't call it heirloom quality, by any means, but for all the IKEA naysayers out there, this is solid wood and well up to the demands of gaming. And quite reasonably priced.
It's a Norden table; you can have a look here: IKEA | Small space dining | Extendable tables | NORDEN | Gateleg table
Nothing exceptionally gamery about it, except that:
- It's pretty darn big--it takes my Chessex mega-mat (a bit trimmed off the edges) with room at either end (keeps the snacks and whatnot off the action)
- When folded, it's really compact
- With some felt pads on the feet, it's easy to move across our smooth floors
I wouldn't call it heirloom quality, by any means, but for all the IKEA naysayers out there, this is solid wood and well up to the demands of gaming. And quite reasonably priced.
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