I started Classic Nerd (then known by another, terrible name) nearly 3 years ago with a simple vision: build something online that covers nerdy, retro topics but doesn’t suck.

There are plenty of Twitter accounts that remind you what movie was released on this day in the ‘90s, websites that pump out ‘80s listicles ad nauseam, and generally several other avenues to get your nerd fix. The problem is, they’re either really low-quality clickbait, or they’re so covered in ads you can’t even scroll through the list without it crashing your browser.

Once I had a real designer work on the logo (thanks Donnie!) and started writing regularly, it became clear that there’s a real appetite out there for this type of content — topics about old-school nerd sh** that are thoughtfully written. That and a place on the internet that’s not just about sharing dumb political memes or wishing your friend from high school a happy birthday.

Today there are over 120,000 subscribers to Classic Nerd. Together, we’re united in nerd.

Why we’re adding a paid subscription

Paid subscriptions offer us a chance to provide something special to the most loyal (or maybe wealthy) Classic Nerd readers while limiting reliance on ad cycles and vanity metrics.

UPGRADE NOW

So, where will the revenue from paid subscriptions go?

If we get enough Classic Nerd readers to upgrade, paid subscribers will allow me to focus on producing new articles and trivia, expand the topics we cover, pay freelance writers a good wage (and add more of them to the roster), and limit advertising — or for paid members, remove advertising altogether. Revenue generated from paid members will also go right back into monthly members-only prizing (more on that below).

Right now we’re calling it 1UP. I’ll probably change the name later, because that’s my thing, but this feels like a good starting point.

JOIN 1UP

Free stuff isn’t going anywhere

Not everyone has the money to add yet another subscription. We will always offer free content, just as we do now. It will be supported by native sponsorships and limited online advertising. You can help us out by checking out a sponsor if it’s something you’re interested in.

What 1UP members get

Now that we’re past the screed portion of this post, here’s what you’ll actually get when you sign up for 1UP with either a monthly or annual subscription:

Members-only giveaways: Every month 1UP members will be eligible for a prize (or prizes) from the nerdy/geeky/etc. realm. For the first month (January 2023), we’re giving away a LEGO bust of Darth Vader’s head.

As more members join, we’ll reinvest paid subscription revenue into bigger and more prizes. Right now we’re starting at zero, so hey, your chances of winning are pretty good!

We’ll be giving away stuff like the LEGO set, but also collectibles, gift cards, video games, and whatever else we damn well feel like.

Ad-free experience: 1UP members will immediately remove all ads from the emails they receive. They will also receive a login for any other Classic Nerd websites (right now, that’s just classicnerdtrivia.com), and upon login those ads will go bye bye too.

Discounts: Get 20% off the Classic Nerd store for as long as you’re a member, and we’ll be working with partners to bring exclusive discounts to 1UP members.

For the Richies: The 1UP subscription box

Just cashed out some Tesla stock, already own a social media company, but want to support Classic Nerd and get more loot delivered to your door?

We’ve added an elite 1UP tier that includes a quarterly subscription box (i.e. four times in a year), hand-picked and shipped to your door full of geeky collectibles and goodies. We’ll send you a survey after you sign up so we can get to know you a little bit and then you’ll just sit back and relax. It might include things like authentic TMNT trading cards from the 1990s, comic books, Funko products, retro toys — you get the picture. Maybe.

Oh, plus a t-shirt, since nothing says “I paid Classic Nerd a bunch of money” like a t-shirt.

So let’s kick this thing into high gear. Join 1UP today.