Why do we still "Press Start" at the beginning of games?

It's the same with home video, most still lead you to a menu where you have to press the "Play Movie." People actively chided Warner Brothers when they were releasing Blu-ray/HD-DVDs that went straight to the movie. 

So you don't miss anything when you went to take a piss because the game was booting up.

All of this introspection regarding ITP's and start buttons is cool and all, but what about this: 
 
Why do we have BELLY buttons? 
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omphaloskepsis   

" @Warfare said:

" Well it is the start button. "

"

What the hell else are you planning on using it for?  :P 
 
It's tradition. I like it.

Why does Super Meat Boy say "INSERT COIN" at startup? 
 
Nostalgia,  
That's why.

I like pressing start, it feels right.

...but...
 
..How else will we get the game to start?

Why do books have covers? 
 
I dunno but I've always felt like the start menu acts like an inside-the-game cover. I wasn't so fond of the way GTA4 and inFamous just dropped  you into the game, well mostly GTA. Maybe that had something to do with me not liking that game, come to think of it.

What just turned 25 years old?.....  OH DEAR GOD!! "

meh, who cares. maybe its to prevent you from accidentally pressing a button in the menu at the beginning if the start screen wasnt there.

it's keeping what developers have been putting in for ever. i do enjoy seeing that in when a game starts.

"Not to refute what you've said or to be argumentative, but I still wonder what the Rockstar guys did in GTA IV to skirt around that issue.  I can't remember exactly what the first button you pressed was once you got control of Niko, but maybe that was the one that caused the controller recognition. 

You wouldn't like to launch your game, go get a coke, come back and see that the game has started without you, would you?

"You wouldn't like to launch your game, go get a coke, come back and see that the game has started without you, would you? "

Here is an article I found that basically holds everything that was suggested in this thread: 
 
http://www.bitmob.com/articles/press-start-2    

" I think it is mainly just maintaining tradition, but I also think it gives for a better look. When I see the start menu I get into the mood and I see a full size picture before I start to see menus. It also makes it seem like I'm in control of when I start to do things because I can load the game and leave it on that screen sort of idling as I do other stuff around the house, then I can come back and actually start up the game and get into the menus. Just sort of feels right. " 
I agree with this person.

Somewhat related, Why must we 'press X to continue' (not sure of the 360 equal) every time we boot a game when it displays the 'This game uses autosave'? OK, fantastic, but why do you need to stop loading the game to make sure I acknowledge this? 

I stopped pushing start years ago. 
 
 
 
I haven't finished many games.

I have always found the main splash menu of a game to be rather useless.  It isn't hard to produce of course, but at the same time it serves no purpose other than to please those who like traditional game design and for other rather meaningless reasons.
 
I can understand demos having a splash screen, so that a consumer will immediately identify the product at first glance when it is idle.  For final products though, I find them to be rather useless.  To examplify a more productive first screen, most modern valve games are a prime example of having a subtle menu on the screen, whilst still allowing for a memorable logo and some background imagery complimenting the menu.  A good example of a pointless start menu is the ones in Street Fighter 4 (Super included) and Resident Evil 5.

Because the start button leads to the main menu which then houses all other options.