Most single player computer games have rather frustrating pattern of loading:

1. start game
2. Game shows you some logo videos
3. Game indicates it is loading
4. Main menu shows
5. Select and load game
6. More loading
7. You can play now

Now the game doesn't know which game you will want to load usually (although it could make a very precise guess). However any loading of general assets could be in theory done while already showing main menu, unless the main menu contains some elaborate graphics itself.

There must be some obstruction, since I am not aware of many modern games that show the menu immediately. What prevents creators to load assets asynchronously while player is selecting things in main menu?

Or other way to phrase the question: If I wanted to have my game show menuy while still loading assets, what problems do I need to solve?

Most single player computer games have rather frustrating pattern of loading:

1. start game
2. Game shows you some logo videos
3. Game indicates it is loading (general assets are loading, that are always used)
4. Main menu shows
5. Select and load game
6. More loading
7. You can play now

Loading of general assets could be in theory done while already showing main menu, unless the main menu contains some elaborate graphics itself.

There must be some obstruction, since I am not aware of many modern games that show the menu immediately. What prevents creators to load assets asynchronously while player is selecting things in main menu?

Or other way to phrase the question: If I wanted to have my game show menuy while still loading assets, what problems do I need to solve?