Two weeks after launch, Xbox Series X’s Quick Resume feature isn’t working that well

For several days after the launch of the new Xbox Series X and S, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Supported the best new feature of consoles, Quick Resume. Today that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, another sign that something is wrong with what was supposed to be a key advantage of the next-gen Xbox.

For those who don’t know, Quick Resume is a new feature on the Xbox Series X and S and new for console games in general. Basically, your system can pause multiple games at once, which allows you to jump between them at will. You don’t have to go through the boot loader screens or anything. You pick up each one exactly where you left off, usually within seconds. Fast Resume works entirely in the background, so you don’t have to switch to a setting or dive headlong into the console menus. He’ll just do his thing – well, when that works.

In our first Quick Resume tests Prior to the launch of the new Xboxes, we found that many games supported this feature. Next, Microsoft informed us that finding a feature-related bug required a system update which would then require the games to be individually updated to support the service again sometime after launch. When the S and X series debuted on November 10, we noted that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was among the games that supported the feature without issue. And how cool it was. Bouncing between various smaller indie games is one thing. Jumping into a huge Ubisoft ‘map’ game – skipping those lead loading screens and picking up your ax exactly where you left it – was a huge indicator that, yes, wow, the Xbox Series S and X are really great. new generation machines.

Over the weekend, however, some staff noticed that Valhalla started booting from scratch every time. No warning. No “Quick Resume” badge on the start screen. He just stopped picking up quickly. (Kotaku contacted Ubisoft for comment.)

We are not alone. A search for “quick CV valhalla” (or other permutations) on social networks reports complaints dated November 15, approximately Assassin’s Creed Valhalla apparently and inexplicably fall off the Quick Resume list. Many of these people say Valhalla used to work with Quick Resume, then just stopped. A user weighed the possibility of filing a bug report. When people aren’t sure if they’ve encountered a bug or if they continue to function as usual, your messaging could probably be improved.

Take a look: Quick Resume is a hugely cool feature, and not just on paper. Just this morning I was able to make it work for Tony Hawk 1 + 2 Professional Skater, Legendary magician, Gear tactics, Ori and the will of the wisps, Forza Horizon 4, and Tell me why. There are no apparent generational limits – whether they are titles “optimized” for Xbox One or Xbox Series – as to which games will and will not work. While Quick Resume doesn’t put you in the middle of a game that requires persistent internet connectivity, you can use it to at least skip the initial start of some predominantly online games, like, for example, Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The rapid recovery has tangible benefits. It’s undeniable.

The problem is, some games work and some don’t, and there is little precision either way. (Kotaku asked Microsoft for a list of games that are compatible and not compatible with the rapid recovery. At the time of going to press, we have not had a response.) In its current state, the Xbox Guide will not show you the list of games that your console is currently on hold at any given time.

Beyond that, Quick Resume seems to drop games frequently, and often without warning. It would be unreasonable to expect the Xbox Series X to suspend an entire game library at once. But there’s still no indicator – no pop-up or notification – when a game is about to be dropped from the Quick Resume suspension. The general consensus, corroborated by our own testing, is that you can keep about half a dozen games hanging in Quick Resume at all times. A warning when one is about to be abandoned would be welcome. Again, for now, it’s a memory game.

Of all the new features introduced in this generation of Xbox consoles, Quick Resume is the most promising. It’s just not reliable, at least not yet. And it’s strange to see a game that supported it at launch seemingly lose that support. For now, we’ll have to go through the loading screens to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

No more Xbox Series X (and S!)