Xbox tests a 'suspend my game' button to speed up downloads

Xbox software beta testers in the Insider program may have a new button popping up in their UI while downloading games, apps and updates. For years, gamers have complained that downloading slows to a crawl while games are suspended, and the only way to make them go anywhere close to the full speed possible was to manually close any suspended titles.

Then the Xbox Series X introduced Quick Resume, which made it easier and faster to get back into games, but still had the same effect of sometimes slowing downloads. Xbox execs explained that the system managed resources to make sure multiplayer games have the bandwidth they need to operate, but the approach was still too aggressive in most cases.

With many games now reaching over 100GB in size and updates that can be nearly that large by themselves, it's a real problem but the Xbox team is close to addressing it. As described in this tweet, the "suspend my game" button keeps your game ready to be resumed/Quick Resumed while also unlocking enough horsepower from your Xbox to manage full-speed downloads.

Hey Xbox Insiders! Did you notice these changes rolling out now? Suspend in the queue will let you download at full speed while making sure your game remains resumable (or quick resume-able on Series X|S). New banners in the Full Library will take you to more useful categories! pic.twitter.com/L49winRpM0

— Eden Marie (@neonepiphany) March 16, 2021

Right now the feature is still in testing with Insiders, but will presumably roll out widely eventually. One thing that is open to everyone is the ability to access your Achievements via the Xbox app. It was mentioned in the notes for the March update, and is active starting today.