Who Is Nolan Bushnell? Age, Biography and Wiki
As of 2025, Nolan Bushnell is 82 years old. Born in 1943, he jumped into the spotlight as the founder of Atari, where he created numerous groundbreaking arcade games, including the legendary Pong. His influence didn't stop at Atari; he has been involved in numerous ventures that paved the way for the future of technology and entertainment. For those interested in further information, you can visit his Wikipedia page.
| Occupation | Technology |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 5, 1943 |
| Age | 82 Years |
| Birth Place | Clearfield, Utah, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Nolan Bushnell's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Though specific measurements are not widely documented in 2025, Nolan Bushnell's height is estimated to be around 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm). He has maintained a healthy weight throughout his life, though details regarding his weight and other physical stats are not publicly available.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Nolan Bushnell has been married twice and has four children. While specifics about his current relationship status are not prominently reported, he has generally maintained a low profile concerning his personal life. As of 2025, it's speculated that he remains single and dedicated to his many business endeavors rather than pursuing a new romantic relationship.
He married his first wife, Paula Rochelle Nielson, in 1966 and had two daughters; in 1969, they moved to California. They divorced in 1975, just prior to Warner Communication's purchase of Atari. Around the end of 1977, he married Nancy Nino, with whom he had six children.
He also used his profit from selling Atari to Warner to purchase the former mansion of coffee magnate James Folger in Woodside, California.
Net Worth and Salary
As an innovative entrepreneur, Nolan Bushnell's net worth is estimated to be around $50 million in 2025. His salary has varied greatly throughout his career, especially during the formative years of Atari, but he continues to amass wealth through his investments and advisory roles in various tech startups and gaming ventures.
Bushnell worked at Lagoon Amusement Park for many years while attending college. He was made manager of the games department two seasons after starting.
While working there, he became familiar with arcade electro-mechanical games, watching customers play and helping to maintain the machinery while learning how it worked, developing his understanding of how the game business operates.
He was also interested in the Midway arcade games, where theme park customers would have to use skill and luck to ultimately achieve the goal and win the prize. He liked the concept of getting people curious about the game and from there getting them to pay the fee in order to play.
Career, Business and Investments
Bushnell's career began in the early 1970s when he co-founded Atari, which revolutionized the gaming industry with arcades and home consoles. After his exit from Atari, he went on to invest in numerous businesses, including Chuck E. Cheese's, and has been a prominent figure in advocating for creativity in education and entrepreneurship. In recent years, he has been involved in emerging technologies such as AI and gaming applications, staying at the forefront of industry innovations.
Nolan Kay Bushnell (born February 5, 1943) is an American businessman and electrical engineer. He established Atari, Inc. and the Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre chain.
He has been inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame and the Consumer Electronics Association Hall of Fame, received the BAFTA Fellowship and the Nations Restaurant News "Innovator of the Year" award, and was named one of Newsweek's "50 Men Who Changed America".
He has started more than 20 companies and is one of the founding fathers of the video game industry. He is on the board of Anti-Aging Games. In 2012, he founded an educational software company called Brainrush, that is using video game technology in educational software.
Social Network
Nolan Bushnell maintains an active presence on social media platforms where he shares insights about technology, entrepreneurship, and video gaming. His accounts often attract followers who are keen on learning from his extensive experience. Although he prefers to keep personal details private, he uses platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to engage with fans and followers.
In 1972, Bushnell and Dabney set off on their own, and learned that the name "Syzygy" was in use; Bushnell has said at different times that it was in use by a candle company owned by a Mendocino hippie commune and by a roofing company. They instead incorporated under the name Atari, a reference to a check-like position in the game Go (which Bushnell has called his "favorite game of all time" ).
Education
Bushnell attended the University of Utah, where he studied electrical engineering. His time at the university was influential in shaping his creative thinking and engineering skills, leading him to a successful career in video game design and technology.
In conclusion, Nolan Bushnell continues to inspire and shape the gaming industry with his innovative spirit and entrepreneurial acumen. As we look at him in 2025, his legacy only grows richer, reflecting the values of creativity and risk-taking that he has championed throughout his remarkable career.
Although he was a Latter-day Saint in his youth, by the time of his first divorce he had forgone the teachings often being called a "lapsed Mormon". He said that he stopped practicing the faith after he got into a debate over the interpretation of the Bible with a professor at the University of Utah's Institute of Religion while in college.
