Nostalgia Nerd

Last updated

Nostalgia Nerd
NNAaward.png
Peter Leigh holding Silver Play button in December 2017
Personal information
Born
Peter Leigh
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Presenter, author
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2015–present
GenreTechnology
Subscribers532 thousand [1]
Total views81.70 million [1]
Associated acts
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg100,000 subscribers
Last updated: 08 April 2023

Peter Leigh, more commonly known by the alias Nostalgia Nerd, is a British presenter, YouTuber, author and Twitch streamer, [2] who documents and specialises in ageing technology and software. First appearing on YouTube in 2014, [3] he routinely and enthusiastically explores forgotten computers and the technology surrounding them. He often specialises in historical documentaries on vintage computing, [4] but also delves into technical explanations. [5] [6] [7] Leigh also ventures into modern, [8] mystery, explanation and more frivolous tech videos, with a humorous style and British wit.

Contents

His most recent book, The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech, [9] spent several months as a best-seller in the UK [10] and USA. [11] Covering a wide variety of retro systems with historical and gaming facts, [12] it has been mentioned on the UK's Centre for Computing History's website [13] and is a reference in the museum.

As of December 2022, his main YouTube channel has 520,000 subscribers [3] and 674 videos. [14]

Early life and education

Leigh was born in Norwich, England in the early 1980s. The younger of two siblings, he spent much of his childhood engaging with such British micros as the ZX Spectrum, [15] BBC Micro and models from further afield, including the Commodore 64. [16]

He attended Cromer High School, before studying Business Law and ICT at Paston College. [17] He previously worked as a Lead Program Developer, [17] and ran a web development business in 2012. [18]

Career

Leigh first began producing YouTube videos in 2014, under the alias of RetroBait. [19] He created the Nostalgia Nerd channel shortly after, and began creating videos as a part-time hobby. [20] His early videos ranged from unboxing old tech to game reviews, before moving to in-depth system histories which propelled the channel forward. These are created in a documentary style, focused on the histories of various computer systems and consoles from the past.

In 2017, Leigh moved full-time to YouTube production. [20] He stated that, due to the time involved with research, editing and production, along with the desire to improve quality and historical accuracy; continuing his parallel career of website development alongside video production would be detrimental to both pursuits; [18] he preferring to put focus into video creation. [21]

In 2018, Leigh appeared on Mexican television showcasing the retro computing scene in the UK. [22] In the same year, he appeared in several episodes of the Kickstarter-backed web series, Digitiser the Show, as himself. [23]

In 2018, Leigh wrote The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech. This book was published in November 2018 [24] [25] by ILEX Press. [26] To date, it has sold approximately 50,000 copies, [27] [11] and appeared in various scholar-related texts. [28] [29]

Leigh has appeared as a guest author in numerous national press [30] publications, as well as UK radio shows, advocating retro technology. One of which was Chris Goreham's BBC Radio Norfolk breakfast show, where he discussed the mystery of the Elm Hill fossilised keyboard in Norwich. [31]

On 3 February 2021, Leigh appeared on the UK based Channel 4 television show, Steph's Packed Lunch, [32] [33] discussing vintage computers and their values. [34]

He frequently appears as a guest speaker at retro-themed events, including Play Expo [35] [36] by Replay Events, as well as a Primark retro themed clothing event alongside Pac-Man record holder, Jon Stoodley. [37] [38] [39]

As of February 2021, Leigh has collaborated with several other significant YouTube producers, including LGR, [40] Ashens, [41] Did You Know Gaming, [42] Octavius King and Slopes Game Room. He also co-hosts The Octanerdle podcast [43] with Octavius King.

Notable documentaries

Through source interviews, research and discovery, Nostalgia Nerd is known for creating content on an array of forgotten or unknown subjects related to vintage technology. [44]

Examples include the explanation and deep dive into the early 00's 96KB FPS, kkrieger. The investigation and solving of the "Fossilised Keyboard Mystery", and various historical and research documentaries; including the rise and fall of Cyrix processors, the history of the failed internet sensation, Beenz, analysis of the alternative Sega Genesis Street Fighter 2 Game and a documentary about 1990s Star Trek PC Peripherals. [45]

Personal life

Peter Leigh in 2020 Peter Leigh 2020.jpg
Peter Leigh in 2020

As of 2021, Leigh lives in Norwich, Norfolk. [46] He has two children [20] [18] who have appeared in older videos.

Bibliography

YearTitleNotes
2017Attack of the Flickering Skeletons (Stuart Ashen) [47] Contributor
2018The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech [48]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2021Steph's Packed LunchHimselfDiscussing the revival of vintage computers, their use and how much they're worth

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020Ashens and the Polybius HeistTech supplierCredited
2021Odd Pod: The Movie... kinda [49] Nostalgia NerdUpcoming film based on The Odd Pod show

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotes
2017LGR: Choosing a Retro Gaming PCHimself1 episode, guest
2018 Blockbusters: Video Games & The InternetHimselfPanellist on the YouTube channel, Ashens
2018Digitiser: The ShowHimself
2018BarshensHimself1 episode
2019Digitiser Live [50] [51] Himself
2019Did You Know Gaming [52] Narrator1 episode

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References

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  16. ↑ The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech. Ilex. 2018. pp. Introduction. ISBN   978-1781575703.
  17. 1 2 "Linkedin". Linkedin.
  18. 1 2 3 "r/IAmA – I am Nostalgia Nerd. That 80s Computer Addicted, Youtube Chap who Just Wrote a Book about Retro Tech. Please, AMA". reddit. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  19. ↑ "Retrobait" . Retrieved 23 June 2020– via YouTube.
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  22. ↑ "Nostalgia nerd". Noticieros Televisa (in Mexican Spanish). 3 September 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  23. ↑ "Peter Leigh". IMDb. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  24. ↑ Hlavaty, Craig (15 November 2018). "Would you like to play a game? Book holds history of game systems". Chron. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  25. ↑ Leigh, Peter (29 March 2019). The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech: Computer, Consoles & Games. Octopus Books. ISBN   9781781575703.
  26. ↑ Leigh, Peter (29 March 2019). The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech: Computer, Consoles & Games. Octopus. ISBN   9781781576823.
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  29. ↑ Pascal, Muhammad Salim (2021). KRITIK SOSIAL DALAM VIDEO GAME (Analisis Semiotika Representasi Kritik Sosial Dalam Video Game Persona 5) (other thesis). UNIVERSITAS PEMBANGUNAN NASIONAL "VETERAN" YOGYAKARTA.
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  34. ↑ "Steph's Packed Lunch Twitter post" – via Twitter.
  35. ↑ YOUTUBERS OF RETRO GAMING Play Expo 2020 – Octavius, Kim Justice, Nostalgia Nerd, Top Hat, DJ Slopes , retrieved 9 April 2021
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  39. ↑ "PrimarkArcade Manchester 2018". 21 June 2018 – via YouTube.
  40. ↑ "LGR – Choosing a Retro Gaming PC" – via YouTube.
  41. ↑ "GBR Thrifts" – via YouTube.
  42. ↑ "Sega Master System Games Trivia – Did You Know Gaming? extra Feat. Nostalgia Nerd – YouTube" . Retrieved 4 February 2021– via YouTube.
  43. ↑ "Octanerdle". octanerdle.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  44. ↑ "5 canais no YouTube para quem gosta de tecnologia retrô". Super (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  45. ↑ Wainfur, Rob (22 January 2018). "Nostalgia Nerd Takes A Look Back at 90's Star Trek PC Peripherals". Star Trek News. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  46. ↑ "Twitter Location Info" . Retrieved 23 June 2020– via Twitter.
  47. ↑ Ashen, Stuart (2017). Attack of the flickering skeletons : more terrible old games that you've probably never heard of. London. ISBN   978-1-78352-413-6. OCLC   1014210249.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  48. ↑ Leigh, Peter (2018). The nostalgia nerd's retro tech : computers, consoles & games : all the greatest old systems from Atari to Xbox. London. ISBN   978-1-78157-570-3. OCLC   1027135150.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  49. ↑ "Odd Pod: The Movie... kinda (2021) – IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  50. ↑ DIGITISER LIVE 2019 – FULL SHOW! , retrieved 8 April 2021
  51. ↑ "DIGITISER: THE SHOW Launches 9th March on Kickstarter | GamesYouLoved". gamesyouloved.com. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  52. ↑ Sega Master System Games Trivia – Did You Know Gaming? extra Feat. Nostalgia Nerd , retrieved 20 December 2022
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