IKEA pilots virtual product experience in ‘Welcome to Bloxburg’ game
14 January 2026: IKEA is testing a new digital experience on Welcome to Bloxburg, a life-simulation game on the Roblox platform where players build and design homes. With millions of global monthly users, Roblox is considered one of the most popular gaming platforms in the world. The pilot, running in Sweden and Australia, explores how IKEA products can be experienced in interactive digital environments. It is designed as a small-scale test to evaluate customer engagement and learnings, while also exploring how IKEA can create a better everyday life for the many people in the digital world.
The pilot features a limited assortment of well-known IKEA products, including the STOCKHOLM sofa, the ELSYSTEM rug and BLÅHAJ, everyone’s favourite shark. From 22 January to 5 February, six iconic products will be available to unlock in Bloxburg, at the in-game IKEA pop-up in the Fancy Furniture Store, or from the product library, helping IKEA teams assess design translation, usability, and customer engagement in a digital setting.
Visitors to IKEA stores in Australia and Sweden will also be able to unlock four extra products in the game by visiting IKEA and scanning QR codes hidden around the store.
Australian Bloxburg players can visit IKEA Marsden Park, Tempe or Rhodes stores in Sydney to take part in the Treasure Hunt to find the QR codes and download extra exclusive in-game IKEA items from January 22 – 5 February.
There will also be a special event in all Sydney IKEA stores on Saturday 31 January. Players visiting a store that day have chance of winning IKEA products IRL via a competition just for IKEA Family members (its free to sign up), plus they have a go at the in-store spinning wheel with a swag of other prizes up for grabs.
On January 31, in-store customers can also get 15% off the IKEA BRÄNNBOLL range of furniture and accessories designed specifically for gamers.
’We’re delighted to bring some of our most loved IKEA products into this digital space. With curiosity, we’re looking forward to seeing the home furnishing ideas people create, and how our products feel at home in their digital lives,” says Sara Vestberg, Home Furnishing Direction Leader at IKEA Retail (Ingka Group).
A learning-led approach
“This pilot is very much about learning and exploring,” says Parag Parekh, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at IKEA Retail (Ingka Group). “We’re using it to better understand how digital environments can enrich the IKEA experience, while continuing to stay true to our values and what customers expect from us.”
IKEA regularly tests new ideas in carefully designed ways to better understand how customer behaviours and expectations evolve. Learnings from pilots in both Sweden and Australia will better inform future decisions.
As part of this approach, IKEA will continue to assess digital platforms, prioritising trust, safety, and relevance for its customers.
More details on IKEA in Bloxburg here: www.ikea.com/au/en/campaigns/ikea-in-bloxburg-pub79129710/
