It took a while before I picked up a current-generation video-game console. The Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 launched in 2020, and they were pretty hard to find for a good while. Even now, sometimes it’s hard to believe that the PS5 actually exists because of how elusive the console is. But earlier this year, after receiving my tax return, I figured I’d spend a small chunk of it on something fun for myself.
So when I saw a handful of Xbox Series S units at Target, I was quick to snag one. After hooking up the console and doing the typical out-of-the-box update installation, I was then greeted by one of the coolest, most exhilarating startup themes I’d ever heard. If you don’t own an Xbox Series X|S and haven’t heard it, I mean, just listen:
That startup theme is majestic. And the way the Xbox logo slowly appears on the screen fits perfectly. It’s one of those things where, upon hearing and seeing it, I felt like I’d finally arrived at the new generation of gaming. It was almost symbolic after having acquired a current-gen platform after two years of waiting patiently. And it’s the type of thing that we’ll look back on fondly five, six, ten years down the road.
I’ve played quite a bit of Xbox since the fateful day I picked up my Series S (thank you, Xbox Game Pass). But I also game on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. Sometimes I go through phases where I take a break from one platform and play exclusively on another. That tends to happen when you own multiple consoles.
So when I got back on my Xbox Series S a few months ago, I expected a new update. It was quick and easy, and my system was restarting before I knew it.
But then something happened…
That Xbox Series startup music hit, but it was a shorter, accelerated version. The Xbox logo barely had time to pop up on the screen before I was taken to the menu. It was odd, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it at that particular moment. It wasn’t until I powered on the Xbox Series S a few more times that I realized startup was quicker.
A quick Google search revealed that a new update made Xbox Series X and S startup times shorter. That’s great! Faster, smoother startups are always nice! On the flipside, though, that also meant that the Xbox startup music was now shortened… and that really bothered me. It still bothers me, actually, all these months later.
The faster version of that theme just doesn’t hit quite the same. It doesn’t have that powerful new-gen impact. It feels rushed and less grand. Quite frankly, it makes me a little sad.
Now look, I get it. If this is my biggest disappointment in video games in the year 2022, I guess it’s not that big of a deal. But damn, I just really loved that Xbox startup music. At least I got to hear it a few times before it went away…
