Internet Vikings: Waiting isn’t an option
Amid potential delays, price hikes and regulatory risks, Internet Vikings’ Founder & CEO, Rickard Vikström, and COO, Kristoffer Ottosson, speak to Tim Poole and discuss the steps taken to maintain stability for customers.
We’re used to discussing industry topics but, from time to time, what’s in the mainstream news has a big impact on gaming. How could potential trade wars affect the sector?
Rickard Vikström: When trade wars become a reality, we can’t ignore them, especially when it comes to supply-chain disruptions. They can delay hardware shipments, increase costs and create uncertainty. For the industry, this means slower deployment, higher operational expenses and potentially losing ground to competitors who are better prepared. It’s not just about the hardware; it’s about the ripple effect on service delivery.
Kristoffer Ottosson: Trade wars also create unpredictability in pricing and availability. For operators relying on international hardware, this can mean scrambling to find alternatives or paying a premium to meet deadlines. It’s a logistical nightmare that can derail even the best-laid plans.
How costly could any delays or disruptions be to gaming operators?
RV: Think about it: if you’re launching a new platform or scaling up for a big event, even a few days of downtime can cost millions and damage your brand reputation. Operators also face penalties for failing to meet regulatory deadlines or service-level agreements.
KO: From a technical perspective, delays don’t just hit the bottom line, they strain your entire infrastructure. If you’re forced to rush deployments because of delays, you risk compromising on quality, security or performance.
Internet Vikings is billing its localized hardware as something that can mitigate these potential effects. Tell us how.
KO: We’ve always believed in being proactive rather than reactive. By acquiring hardware ahead of time, we eliminate the risks associated with international supply chains. Our localized infrastructure means we’re not waiting for shipments stuck in customs. We overprovision our hardware, and this approach allows us to deliver no matter what’s happening globally.
How do you ensure quick deployment and scalability? And how confident can you truly be of delivering on that aim, given that these disruptions could be on a wide scale?
RV: As for confidence –’ll be direct: we’ve stress-tested our systems and planned for worst-case scenarios. Trade wars or supply chain disruptions don’t just affect one company; they’re widespread. But because we’ve localized our operations and overprovisioned, we’re insulated from those shocks. Our track record speaks for itself – we’ve consistently delivered for our clients, even during global crises.
What would you say to an operator that might prefer to avoid the cost of a trade-war-proof strategy, in the belief that the impact may not be too high?
RV: I’d say this: hope for the best, but plan for the worst. The cost of being unprepared far outweighs the investment in a future-proof strategy. Trade wars, supply chain issues and geopolitical tensions aren’t hypothetical – they’re happening right now. If you wait until the disruption hits, it’s already too late.
KO: I couldn’t agree more. Cutting corners on infrastructure is a false economy. The upfront cost of a strategy might seem high, but it’s nothing compared to the cost of downtime. Think of it as insurance; you might not need it every day, but when you do, it’s invaluable.
Finally, are there any planned updates for this kind of product for the rest of 2025?
RV: Absolutely. We’re always working on growing and improving Internet Vikings. In 2025, we plan to expand our localized hardware footprint even further, adding more data centers and increasing our internal overprovisioning capabilities.
KO: In the end, it’s about trust. We take pride in delivering on our promises, no matter what’s happening in the world. That’s how we help our clients and put them at the center of everything.By eliminating reliance on international shipments and investing in proactive infrastructure solutions, you can ensure uninterrupted service, scalability and future-proof performance. Whether trade wars escalate or not, being prepared is what sets industry leaders apart.
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