Life is Short is a British television commercial for the original Xbox that aired in 2002. Life IS short.

This advertisement became well-known as one of the first examples of a viral video in an age before YouTube. It's also well-known for being banned by the Independent Television Commission. This advertisement became well-known as one of the first examples of a viral video in an age before YouTube. It's also well-known for being banned by the The Independent Television Commission (ITC). 

Microsoft defended its stance, claiming that the ad was intended to be a positive statement about life. However, the ITC dismissed this, claiming that the man's screams indicated a "traumatic experience," which, when combined with the "life is short" tagline, "made the final scene more shocking." ITC argued that because there was no warning at the start of the Xbox commercial, viewers would be unaware of the potentially disturbing content.

The scoop. A pregnant woman is about to give birth, and some doctors are assisting her. She finally shoots out the baby, who is sent flying out the window away from the hospital after some struggle. The baby goes through all the stages of life as he flies through the clouds, becoming a grown child, a teenager, a grown man, and an elder before landing in a grave.

The advertisement already has an unusual message, but what makes it truly cursed is the imagery of the man evolving through life, which appears distressingly realistic. Following several complaints about the content, it was removed from British television.

The ITC's decision to ban the Xbox commercial had the opposite effect intended; the ad became the most successful Xbox commercial in the UK market.