Remodelled ZX Spectrum to be produced in Nottingham

Thanks to a Nottingham company, old school gaming will be making a big comeback with the relaunch of the era-defining Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

First released in the 1982, the Spectrum was among the first mainstream audience home computers in the UK.

In its day the 8-bit console, created by Sir Clive Sinclair, was an overwhelming success and sold in excess of five million units worldwide.

Now, Beeston firm SMS Electronics has been selected from a shortlist of 20 manufacturers to bring the console back to life as the Spectrum Vega.

This time around though, there’ll be no awkward antennas or tape cassettes – the console will plug directly into any television.

It will also come with around 1000 pre-installed titles, including some of the biggest gaming hits from the 80s.

Mark Goldby, managing director of SMS Electronics, is delighted to be involved this project which celebrates an iconic brand in the world of gaming.

He added: “If this is anywhere near the popularity of the original then we will be over the moon.

“We hope it brings a bit of nostalgia back to middle aged people and we think it is a very reasonable price, under £100.”

Iain Simons, the director of GameCity in Nottingham, believes the Spectrum is a huge piece of gaming history which paved the way for future gaming monoliths such as the Xbox and Playstation consoles.

He also noted its profound impact on a generation of programmers.

Video: Iain Simons talks about the Spectrum’s programming capabilities.

Luton-based company Retro Computers Ltd. has developed the machine – which is due for release in April.

Chairman, Dr David Levy, revealed that the project has been in motion for the past two years and thinks it will hugely benefit SMS Electronics and the city of Nottingham.

He said: “This will be a very big step for the city because the Spectrum is such a well-known product.”

Dr Levy also hopes the relaunch will inspire a new generation of programmers and coders.

He said: ” We want to address young people as there is a need for programmers and in 10 to 15 years time we will need far more than we are currently producing.

We’re trying to encourage schools to introduce coding and we are going to organise a national schools coding championships.

Video: Dr Levy talks about the history of the Spectrum.

With production set to commence in February, and a release scheduled for April, it won’t be long before gamers can get their hands on a slice of gaming history.

 

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