Ikea Unamused with 'Infinite Furniture Store' Game Where Mutant Staff Attack

A video game that's not yet released has attracted the attention of Ikea's legal team because it looks suspiciously reminiscent of the popular furniture retailer — except the store's mutated staff attack customers at night. 

"The Store Is Closed" is an indie computer and console game being developed by Jacob Shaw in London with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. The game isn't for sale yet, but the premise is that you're trapped in an "infinite furniture store," an experience that Ikea shoppers, especially the ones who aren't enthusiastic about being there, may find familiar. 

It's the other parts of the game that you'll find familiar that are the problem for Ikea, which sent a cease and desist letter to Shaw, according to Kotaku. Ikea is claiming trademark infringement, and it's not hard to see why. In screenshots and videos of the game, you can see a large blue and yellow building with the name "Styr" on it, a cafeteria sign advertising "Swedish meat," and even price signs in Ikea's familiar style. 

Of course, the 13-meter-tall (43-foot) ultimate bad guy manager with bone spikes protruding from its face and arms is also unfamiliar, and Ikea would probably prefer to keep it that way so that no one starts thinking of the store as a horror show. But, is anyone really going to start attacking furniture or employees with a chainsaw or flame thrower in a real Ikea, anyway? 

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Lucky for everyone who thinks building a base of operations on top of giant totally-not-Ikea warehouse shelves to hide from monsters sounds fun, Shaw has agreed to make the changes that Ikea requested to avoid overlap with Ikea brand features, according to an update from Ikea UK. So, though the building may not be blue and yellow anymore, the game is still on track for its expected 2024 release date.