Press Start to start... Why?

[Guffe]

They have just stuck around from the past.
I really don't mind, I'm actually questioning why people question these kinds of things that take so much of our precious time.
I'll try and give a proper answer to something more serious than wondering why we have to press a button for something to happen.
(yes I might feel a bit offensive here but I'm tired and all pumped on coffee)

 

[projectX42]

if you don press start its safe to assume the user has buggered of to make tea or something so to prevent any image's burning into you TV screen (an issue i don't think is a problem anymore)they quickly loop back to the opening cinematic

if your in the menu they then have to assume your making a decision on what to do next so they allow you more time before thinking you have left a game and loop back to the cinematic, so it can still serve a purpose today in modern systems by preventing damage to your tv

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Presumably because in most of these menus there's an option to start a new game, load a previous game, configure the games options, and something else. If it was just a matter of starting the game, you'd have a point, but it isn't.

 

[vrbtny]

To quote Captain Montgomery from Castle

"There ain't no good in messing with things you don't understand."

The Start prompt has always been there, it always will be. Stop screwing with "The Word of God!!"

 

[Kahunaburger]

Although as video game traditions go, it's relatively inoffensive.

 

[PBMcNair]

As mentioned before it was used as as point to loop something to prevent screen damage, now its just used from habit. But sometimes it is used as a jumpoff for the title screen eg. Space Marine, where the push start screen is just a view of Titus, but when you press it it starts a looped combat sequence. Always thought that was a nice way to handle it.