WATCH: Seattle rings in the New Year with the Halo theme

Seattle New Years 2022
Seattle New Years 2022 (Image credit: @urbanashteam on Instagram)

While people around the world counted down the final seconds of 2021 with festive holiday music and New Years-themed songs, many in Seattle were listening to something different. During the KING-TV broadcast of its "New Year's at the Needle" celebration, the final minute of the 2021 countdown was accompanied by the main theme of Microsoft's flagship Xbox shooter game, Halo. Specifically, the version of the theme that played was "MJOLNIR Mix," an electric guitar-heavy variant from 2004's Halo 2. You can watch the countdown below:

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Following MJOLNIR Mix and the official arrival of 2022, an augmented reality show at the Space Needle began that was supported by multiple volleys of fireworks. The show celebrated multiple beloved symbols of the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle's various sports teams (including the Seattle Kraken, the city's new hockey team that debuted in 2021).

Overall, it's pretty cool to see the Halo theme get played during a New Year's celebration. It turns out that while the theme's legendary Gregorian chants and guitar riffs are ideal for taking the fight to the Covenant on a mysterious Halo ring, they're also perfect for sending 2021 into the history books.

The Halo Infinite campaign is home to awesome music like this, and it's available now for $60 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and Windows PCs. It's one of the best Xbox shooters ever made, so you should definitely pick it up and give it a shot.

Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. You'll find him doing reviews, editorials, and general coverage on everything Xbox and PC. Follow him on Twitter.