diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/MainMenuScreen.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/MainMenuScreen.kt
index ed5eace3ac..8a6db28146 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/MainMenuScreen.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/MainMenuScreen.kt
@@ -202,9 +202,9 @@ class MainMenuScreen: BaseScreen() {
         if (curWorldScreen != null) {
             game.resetToWorldScreen()
             curWorldScreen.popups.filterIsInstance(WorldScreenMenuPopup::class.java).forEach(Popup::close)
-            return
+        } else {
+            QuickSave.autoLoadGame(this)
         }
-        QuickSave.autoLoadGame(this)
     }
 
     private fun quickstartNewGame() {
@@ -221,12 +221,14 @@ class MainMenuScreen: BaseScreen() {
             }
 
             // ...or when loading the game
-            launchOnGLThread {
-                try {
-                    game.loadGame(newGame)
-                } catch (outOfMemory: OutOfMemoryError) {
+            try {
+                game.loadGame(newGame)
+            } catch (outOfMemory: OutOfMemoryError) {
+                launchOnGLThread {
                     ToastPopup("Not enough memory on phone to load game!", this@MainMenuScreen)
-                } catch (ex: Exception) {
+                }
+            } catch (ex: Exception) {
+                launchOnGLThread {
                     ToastPopup(errorText, this@MainMenuScreen)
                 }
             }
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/UncivGame.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/UncivGame.kt
index fd5d2c7872..b8c85b3d6a 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/UncivGame.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/UncivGame.kt
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import com.unciv.models.ruleset.RulesetCache
 import com.unciv.models.tilesets.TileSetCache
 import com.unciv.models.translations.Translations
 import com.unciv.ui.LanguagePickerScreen
+import com.unciv.ui.LoadingScreen
 import com.unciv.ui.audio.GameSounds
 import com.unciv.ui.audio.MusicController
 import com.unciv.ui.audio.MusicMood
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@ import com.unciv.ui.audio.SoundPlayer
 import com.unciv.ui.crashhandling.CrashScreen
 import com.unciv.ui.crashhandling.wrapCrashHandlingUnit
 import com.unciv.ui.images.ImageGetter
-import com.unciv.ui.multiplayer.LoadDeepLinkScreen
 import com.unciv.ui.multiplayer.MultiplayerHelpers
 import com.unciv.ui.popup.Popup
 import com.unciv.ui.utils.BaseScreen
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ import com.unciv.ui.worldscreen.WorldScreen
 import com.unciv.utils.Log
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.Concurrency
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.launchOnGLThread
+import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.withGLContext
+import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.withThreadPoolContext
 import com.unciv.utils.debug
 import java.util.*
 
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ class UncivGame(parameters: UncivGameParameters) : Game() {
 
     var deepLinkedMultiplayerGame: String? = null
     var gameInfo: GameInfo? = null
+        private set
     lateinit var settings: GameSettings
     lateinit var musicController: MusicController
     lateinit var onlineMultiplayer: OnlineMultiplayer
@@ -104,7 +107,7 @@ class UncivGame(parameters: UncivGameParameters) : Game() {
          * - Font (hence Fonts.resetFont() inside setSkin())
          */
         settings = gameSaver.getGeneralSettings() // needed for the screen
-        setScreen(LoadingScreen())  // NOT dependent on any atlas or skin
+        setScreen(GameStartScreen())  // NOT dependent on any atlas or skin
         GameSounds.init()
         musicController = MusicController()  // early, but at this point does only copy volume from settings
         audioExceptionHelper?.installHooks(
@@ -151,21 +154,66 @@ class UncivGame(parameters: UncivGameParameters) : Game() {
         }
     }
 
-    fun loadGame(gameInfo: GameInfo): WorldScreen {
-        this.gameInfo = gameInfo
-        ImageGetter.setNewRuleset(gameInfo.ruleSet)
-        // Clone the mod list and add the base ruleset to it
-        val fullModList = gameInfo.gameParameters.getModsAndBaseRuleset()
-        musicController.setModList(fullModList)
-        Gdx.input.inputProcessor = null // Since we will set the world screen when we're ready,
-        val worldScreen = WorldScreen(gameInfo, gameInfo.getPlayerToViewAs())
-        val newScreen = if (gameInfo.civilizations.count { it.playerType == PlayerType.Human } > 1 && !gameInfo.gameParameters.isOnlineMultiplayer)
-            PlayerReadyScreen(worldScreen)
-        else {
-            worldScreen
+    /** Loads a game, initializing the state of all important modules. Automatically runs on the appropriate thread. */
+    suspend fun loadGame(newGameInfo: GameInfo): WorldScreen = withThreadPoolContext toplevel@{
+        val prevGameInfo = gameInfo
+        gameInfo = newGameInfo
+
+        initializeResources(prevGameInfo, newGameInfo)
+
+        val isLoadingSameGame = worldScreen != null && prevGameInfo != null && prevGameInfo.gameId == newGameInfo.gameId
+        val worldScreenRestoreState = if (isLoadingSameGame) worldScreen!!.getRestoreState() else null
+
+        withGLContext { setScreen(LoadingScreen(getScreen())) }
+
+        worldScreen?.dispose()
+        worldScreen = null // This allows the GC to collect our old WorldScreen, otherwise we keep two WorldScreens in memory.
+
+        return@toplevel withGLContext {
+            val worldScreen = WorldScreen(newGameInfo, newGameInfo.getPlayerToViewAs(), worldScreenRestoreState)
+
+            val moreThanOnePlayer = newGameInfo.civilizations.count { it.playerType == PlayerType.Human } > 1
+            val isSingleplayer = !newGameInfo.gameParameters.isOnlineMultiplayer
+            val screenToShow = if (moreThanOnePlayer && isSingleplayer) {
+                PlayerReadyScreen(worldScreen)
+            } else {
+                worldScreen
+            }
+
+            setScreen(screenToShow)
+
+            return@withGLContext worldScreen
         }
-        setScreen(newScreen)
-        return worldScreen
+    }
+
+    /** The new game info may have different mods or rulesets, which may use different resources that need to be loaded. */
+    private suspend fun initializeResources(prevGameInfo: GameInfo?, newGameInfo: GameInfo) {
+        if (prevGameInfo == null || prevGameInfo.ruleSet != newGameInfo.ruleSet) {
+            withGLContext {
+                ImageGetter.setNewRuleset(newGameInfo.ruleSet)
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (prevGameInfo == null ||
+                prevGameInfo.gameParameters.baseRuleset != newGameInfo.gameParameters.baseRuleset ||
+                prevGameInfo.gameParameters.mods != newGameInfo.gameParameters.mods
+        ) {
+            val fullModList = newGameInfo.gameParameters.getModsAndBaseRuleset()
+            musicController.setModList(fullModList)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** Re-creates the current [worldScreen], if there is any. */
+    fun reloadWorldscreen() {
+        val curWorldScreen = worldScreen
+        val curGameInfo = gameInfo
+        if (curWorldScreen == null || curGameInfo == null) return
+
+        Concurrency.run { loadGame(curGameInfo) }
+    }
+
+    private data class NewScreens(val screenToShow: BaseScreen, val worldScreen: WorldScreen) {
+        constructor(worldScreen: WorldScreen) : this(worldScreen, worldScreen)
     }
 
     /**
@@ -217,7 +265,7 @@ class UncivGame(parameters: UncivGameParameters) : Game() {
         if (deepLinkedMultiplayerGame == null) return@run
 
         launchOnGLThread {
-            setScreen(LoadDeepLinkScreen())
+            setScreen(LoadingScreen(getScreen()!!))
         }
         try {
             onlineMultiplayer.loadGame(deepLinkedMultiplayerGame!!)
@@ -311,6 +359,21 @@ class UncivGame(parameters: UncivGameParameters) : Game() {
         return if (screen == worldScreen) worldScreen else null
     }
 
+    fun goToMainMenu(): MainMenuScreen {
+        val curGameInfo = gameInfo
+        if (curGameInfo != null) {
+            gameSaver.requestAutoSaveUnCloned(curGameInfo) // Can save gameInfo directly because the user can't modify it on the MainMenuScreen
+        }
+        val mainMenuScreen = MainMenuScreen()
+        setScreen(mainMenuScreen)
+        return mainMenuScreen
+    }
+
+    /** Sets a simulated [GameInfo] object this game should run on */
+    fun startSimulation(simulatedGameInfo: GameInfo) {
+        gameInfo = simulatedGameInfo
+    }
+
     companion object {
         lateinit var Current: UncivGame
         fun isCurrentInitialized() = this::Current.isInitialized
@@ -319,7 +382,7 @@ class UncivGame(parameters: UncivGameParameters) : Game() {
     }
 }
 
-private class LoadingScreen : BaseScreen() {
+private class GameStartScreen : BaseScreen() {
     init {
         val happinessImage = ImageGetter.getExternalImage("LoadScreen.png")
         happinessImage.center(stage)
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayer.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayer.kt
index c4e6f30729..c2387240b4 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayer.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayer.kt
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ import com.unciv.logic.multiplayer.storage.OnlineMultiplayerGameSaver
 import com.unciv.ui.utils.extensions.isLargerThan
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.Concurrency
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.Dispatcher
-import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.launchOnGLThread
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.launchOnThreadPool
+import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.withGLContext
+import com.unciv.utils.debug
 import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.coroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.delay
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ class OnlineMultiplayer {
         }
     }
 
-    private fun updateSavesFromFiles() {
+    private suspend fun updateSavesFromFiles() {
         val saves = gameSaver.getMultiplayerSaves()
 
         val removedSaves = savedGames.keys - saves.toSet()
@@ -143,20 +144,23 @@ class OnlineMultiplayer {
         addGame(gamePreview, saveFileName)
     }
 
-    private fun addGame(newGame: GameInfo) {
+    private suspend fun addGame(newGame: GameInfo) {
         val newGamePreview = newGame.asPreview()
         addGame(newGamePreview, newGamePreview.gameId)
     }
 
-    private fun addGame(preview: GameInfoPreview, saveFileName: String) {
+    private suspend fun addGame(preview: GameInfoPreview, saveFileName: String) {
         val fileHandle = gameSaver.saveGame(preview, saveFileName)
         return addGame(fileHandle, preview)
     }
 
-    private fun addGame(fileHandle: FileHandle, preview: GameInfoPreview = gameSaver.loadGamePreviewFromFile(fileHandle)) {
+    private suspend fun addGame(fileHandle: FileHandle, preview: GameInfoPreview = gameSaver.loadGamePreviewFromFile(fileHandle)) {
+        debug("Adding game %s", preview.gameId)
         val game = OnlineMultiplayerGame(fileHandle, preview, Instant.now())
         savedGames[fileHandle] = game
-        Concurrency.runOnGLThread { EventBus.send(MultiplayerGameAdded(game.name)) }
+        withGLContext {
+            EventBus.send(MultiplayerGameAdded(game.name))
+        }
     }
 
     fun getGameByName(name: String): OnlineMultiplayerGame? {
@@ -230,7 +234,7 @@ class OnlineMultiplayer {
         } else if (onlinePreview != null && hasNewerGameState(preview, onlinePreview)){
             onlineGame.doManualUpdate(preview)
         }
-        launchOnGLThread { UncivGame.Current.loadGame(gameInfo) }
+        UncivGame.Current.loadGame(gameInfo)
     }
 
     /**
@@ -241,7 +245,7 @@ class OnlineMultiplayer {
         val preview = onlineGameSaver.tryDownloadGamePreview(gameId)
         if (hasLatestGameState(gameInfo, preview)) {
             gameInfo.isUpToDate = true
-            launchOnGLThread { UncivGame.Current.loadGame(gameInfo) }
+            UncivGame.Current.loadGame(gameInfo)
         } else {
             loadGame(gameId)
         }
@@ -272,6 +276,7 @@ class OnlineMultiplayer {
         val game = savedGames[fileHandle]
         if (game == null) return
 
+        debug("Deleting game %s with id %s", fileHandle.name(), game.preview?.gameId)
         savedGames.remove(game.fileHandle)
         Concurrency.runOnGLThread { EventBus.send(MultiplayerGameDeleted(game.name)) }
     }
@@ -280,6 +285,7 @@ class OnlineMultiplayer {
      * Fires [MultiplayerGameNameChanged]
      */
     fun changeGameName(game: OnlineMultiplayerGame, newName: String) {
+        debug("Changing name of game %s to", game.name, newName)
         val oldPreview = game.preview ?: throw game.error!!
         val oldLastUpdate = game.lastUpdate
         val oldName = game.name
@@ -298,8 +304,10 @@ class OnlineMultiplayer {
      * @throws FileNotFoundException if the file can't be found
      */
     suspend fun updateGame(gameInfo: GameInfo) {
+        debug("Updating remote game %s", gameInfo.gameId)
         onlineGameSaver.tryUploadGame(gameInfo, withPreview = true)
         val game = getGameByGameId(gameInfo.gameId)
+        debug("Existing OnlineMultiplayerGame: %s", game)
         if (game == null) {
             addGame(gameInfo)
         } else {
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayerGame.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayerGame.kt
index ccfcc60d6b..53b3cd2f8b 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayerGame.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/multiplayer/OnlineMultiplayerGame.kt
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ import com.unciv.logic.multiplayer.storage.FileStorageRateLimitReached
 import com.unciv.logic.multiplayer.storage.OnlineMultiplayerGameSaver
 import com.unciv.ui.utils.extensions.isLargerThan
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.Concurrency
+import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.launchOnGLThread
+import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.withGLContext
+import com.unciv.utils.debug
+import kotlinx.coroutines.coroutineScope
 import java.io.FileNotFoundException
 import java.time.Duration
 import java.time.Instant
@@ -62,13 +66,14 @@ class OnlineMultiplayerGame(
      * @throws FileStorageRateLimitReached if the file storage backend can't handle any additional actions for a time
      * @throws FileNotFoundException if the file can't be found
      */
-    suspend fun requestUpdate(forceUpdate: Boolean = false) {
+    suspend fun requestUpdate(forceUpdate: Boolean = false) = coroutineScope {
         val onUnchanged = { GameUpdateResult.UNCHANGED }
         val onError = { e: Exception ->
             error = e
             GameUpdateResult.FAILURE
         }
-        Concurrency.runOnGLThread {
+        debug("Starting multiplayer game update for %s with id %s", name, preview?.gameId)
+        launchOnGLThread {
             EventBus.send(MultiplayerGameUpdateStarted(name))
         }
         val throttleInterval = if (forceUpdate) Duration.ZERO else getUpdateThrottleInterval()
@@ -77,16 +82,24 @@ class OnlineMultiplayerGame(
         } else {
             throttle(lastOnlineUpdate, throttleInterval, onUnchanged, onError, ::update)
         }
-        when (updateResult) {
-            GameUpdateResult.UNCHANGED, GameUpdateResult.CHANGED -> error = null
-            else -> {}
-        }
         val updateEvent = when (updateResult) {
-            GameUpdateResult.CHANGED -> MultiplayerGameUpdated(name, preview!!)
-            GameUpdateResult.FAILURE -> MultiplayerGameUpdateFailed(name, error!!)
-            GameUpdateResult.UNCHANGED -> MultiplayerGameUpdateUnchanged(name, preview!!)
+            GameUpdateResult.CHANGED -> {
+                debug("Game update for %s with id %s had remote change", name, preview?.gameId)
+                MultiplayerGameUpdated(name, preview!!)
+            }
+            GameUpdateResult.FAILURE -> {
+                debug("Game update for %s with id %s failed: %s", name, preview?.gameId, error)
+                MultiplayerGameUpdateFailed(name, error!!)
+            }
+            GameUpdateResult.UNCHANGED -> {
+                debug("Game update for %s with id %s had no changes", name, preview?.gameId)
+                error = null
+                MultiplayerGameUpdateUnchanged(name, preview!!)
+            }
+        }
+        launchOnGLThread {
+            EventBus.send(updateEvent)
         }
-        Concurrency.runOnGLThread { EventBus.send(updateEvent) }
     }
 
     private suspend fun update(): GameUpdateResult {
@@ -98,11 +111,14 @@ class OnlineMultiplayerGame(
         return GameUpdateResult.CHANGED
     }
 
-    fun doManualUpdate(gameInfo: GameInfoPreview) {
+    suspend fun doManualUpdate(gameInfo: GameInfoPreview) {
+        debug("Doing manual update of game %s", gameInfo.gameId)
         lastOnlineUpdate.set(Instant.now())
         error = null
         preview = gameInfo
-        Concurrency.runOnGLThread { EventBus.send(MultiplayerGameUpdated(name, gameInfo)) }
+        withGLContext {
+            EventBus.send(MultiplayerGameUpdated(name, gameInfo))
+        }
     }
 
     override fun equals(other: Any?): Boolean = other is OnlineMultiplayerGame && fileHandle == other.fileHandle
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/LoadingScreen.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/LoadingScreen.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..585c893a93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/LoadingScreen.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package com.unciv.ui
+
+import com.badlogic.gdx.Gdx
+import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.Pixmap
+import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.Texture
+import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.SpriteBatch
+import com.badlogic.gdx.graphics.g2d.TextureRegion
+import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.ui.Image
+import com.badlogic.gdx.scenes.scene2d.utils.TextureRegionDrawable
+import com.unciv.Constants
+import com.unciv.ui.images.ImageWithCustomSize
+import com.unciv.ui.popup.Popup
+import com.unciv.ui.popup.closeAllPopups
+import com.unciv.ui.popup.popups
+import com.unciv.ui.utils.BaseScreen
+import com.unciv.ui.utils.extensions.toLabel
+
+/** A loading screen that creates a screenshot of the current screen and adds a "Loading..." popup on top of that */
+class LoadingScreen(
+    previousScreen: BaseScreen? = null
+) : BaseScreen() {
+    val screenshot: Texture
+    init {
+        screenshot = takeScreenshot(previousScreen)
+        val image = ImageWithCustomSize(TextureRegion(screenshot, 0, screenshot.height, screenshot.width, -screenshot.height))
+        image.width = stage.width
+        image.height= stage.height
+        stage.addActor(image)
+        val popup = Popup(stage)
+        popup.add(Constants.loading.toLabel())
+        popup.open()
+    }
+
+    private fun takeScreenshot(previousScreen: BaseScreen?): Texture {
+        if (previousScreen != null) {
+            for (popup in previousScreen.popups) popup.isVisible = false
+            previousScreen.render(Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime())
+        }
+        val screenshot = Texture(Pixmap.createFromFrameBuffer(0, 0, Gdx.graphics.backBufferWidth, Gdx.graphics.backBufferHeight))
+        if (previousScreen != null) {
+            for (popup in previousScreen.popups) popup.isVisible = true
+        }
+        return screenshot
+    }
+
+
+    override fun dispose() {
+        screenshot.dispose()
+        super.dispose()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/multiplayer/LoadDeepLinkScreen.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/multiplayer/LoadDeepLinkScreen.kt
deleted file mode 100644
index af0f2f2bb7..0000000000
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/multiplayer/LoadDeepLinkScreen.kt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-package com.unciv.ui.multiplayer
-
-import com.unciv.Constants
-import com.unciv.ui.utils.BaseScreen
-import com.unciv.ui.utils.extensions.center
-import com.unciv.ui.utils.extensions.toLabel
-
-class LoadDeepLinkScreen : BaseScreen() {
-    init {
-        val loadingLabel = Constants.loading.toLabel()
-        stage.addActor(loadingLabel)
-        loadingLabel.center(stage)
-    }
-}
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt
index 60e60a7f04..f3fbf9aa84 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/newgamescreen/NewGameScreen.kt
@@ -286,13 +286,14 @@ class NewGameScreen(
             }
         }
 
-        launchOnGLThread {
-            val worldScreen = game.loadGame(newGame)
-            if (newGame.gameParameters.isOnlineMultiplayer) {
-                // Save gameId to clipboard because you have to do it anyway.
-                Gdx.app.clipboard.contents = newGame.gameId
-                // Popup to notify the User that the gameID got copied to the clipboard
-                ToastPopup("Game ID copied to clipboard!".tr(), worldScreen, 2500)
+        val worldScreen = game.loadGame(newGame)
+
+        if (newGame.gameParameters.isOnlineMultiplayer) {
+            launchOnGLThread {
+                    // Save gameId to clipboard because you have to do it anyway.
+                    Gdx.app.clipboard.contents = newGame.gameId
+                    // Popup to notify the User that the gameID got copied to the clipboard
+                    ToastPopup("Game ID copied to clipboard!".tr(), worldScreen, 2500)
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/options/OptionsPopup.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/options/OptionsPopup.kt
index 565ded5ef4..949e8fa0ea 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/options/OptionsPopup.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/options/OptionsPopup.kt
@@ -134,12 +134,7 @@ class OptionsPopup(
     /** Reload this Popup after major changes (resolution, tileset, language, font) */
     private fun reloadWorldAndOptions() {
         settings.save()
-        val worldScreen = UncivGame.Current.getWorldScreenIfActive()
-        if (worldScreen != null) {
-            val newWorldScreen = WorldScreen(worldScreen.gameInfo, worldScreen.viewingCiv)
-            worldScreen.game.setScreen(newWorldScreen)
-            newWorldScreen.openOptionsPopup(tabs.activePage)
-        }
+        UncivGame.Current.reloadWorldscreen()
     }
 
     fun addCheckbox(table: Table, text: String, initialState: Boolean, updateWorld: Boolean = false, action: ((Boolean) -> Unit)) {
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/LoadGameScreen.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/LoadGameScreen.kt
index 5b7d4e6e7b..1053239a8d 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/LoadGameScreen.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/LoadGameScreen.kt
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class LoadGameScreen(previousScreen:BaseScreen) : LoadOrSaveScreen() {
             try {
                 // This is what can lead to ANRs - reading the file and setting the transients, that's why this is in another thread
                 val loadedGame = game.gameSaver.loadGameByName(selectedSave)
-                launchOnGLThread { game.loadGame(loadedGame) }
+                game.loadGame(loadedGame)
             } catch (ex: Exception) {
                 launchOnGLThread {
                     loadingPopup.close()
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class LoadGameScreen(previousScreen:BaseScreen) : LoadOrSaveScreen() {
                 try {
                     val clipboardContentsString = Gdx.app.clipboard.contents.trim()
                     val loadedGame = GameSaver.gameInfoFromString(clipboardContentsString)
-                    launchOnGLThread { game.loadGame(loadedGame) }
+                    game.loadGame(loadedGame)
                 } catch (ex: Exception) {
                     launchOnGLThread { handleLoadGameException("Could not load game from clipboard!", ex) }
                 }
@@ -143,7 +143,9 @@ class LoadGameScreen(previousScreen:BaseScreen) : LoadOrSaveScreen() {
                     if (result.isError()) {
                         handleLoadGameException("Could not load game from custom location!", result.exception)
                     } else if (result.isSuccessful()) {
-                        game.loadGame(result.gameData!!)
+                        Concurrency.run {
+                            game.loadGame(result.gameData!!)
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/QuickSave.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/QuickSave.kt
index 89d8643cbc..56ad376041 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/QuickSave.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/saves/QuickSave.kt
@@ -94,12 +94,12 @@ object QuickSave {
                     }
                 }
             } else {
-                launchOnGLThread { /// ... and load it into the screen on main thread for GL context
-                    try {
-                        screen.game.loadGame(savedGame)
-                    } catch (oom: OutOfMemoryError) {
-                        outOfMemory()
-                    } catch (ex: Exception) {
+                try {
+                    screen.game.loadGame(savedGame)
+                } catch (oom: OutOfMemoryError) {
+                    outOfMemory()
+                } catch (ex: Exception) {
+                    launchOnGLThread {
                         Log.error("Could not autoload game", ex)
                         loadingPopup.close()
                         ToastPopup("Cannot resume game!", screen)
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/WorldScreen.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/WorldScreen.kt
index c63b44ce54..6ac629a79e 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/WorldScreen.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/WorldScreen.kt
@@ -78,38 +78,54 @@ import com.unciv.ui.worldscreen.unit.UnitTable
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.Concurrency
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.launchOnGLThread
 import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.launchOnThreadPool
+import com.unciv.utils.concurrency.withGLContext
 import com.unciv.utils.debug
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
 import kotlinx.coroutines.coroutineScope
 
 /**
- * Unciv's world screen
+ * Do not create this screen without seriously thinking about the implications: this is the single most memory-intensive class in the application.
+ * There really should ever be only one in memory at the same time, likely managed by [UncivGame].
+ *
  * @param gameInfo The game state the screen should represent
  * @param viewingCiv The currently active [civilization][CivilizationInfo]
- * @property shouldUpdate When set, causes the screen to update in the next [render][BaseScreen.render] event
- * @property isPlayersTurn (readonly) Indicates it's the player's ([viewingCiv]) turn
- * @property selectedCiv Selected civilization, used in spectator and replay mode, equals viewingCiv in ordinary games
- * @property canChangeState (readonly) `true` when it's the player's turn unless he is a spectator
- * @property mapHolder A [WorldMapHolder] instance
- * @property bottomUnitTable Bottom left widget holding information about a selected unit or city
+ * @param restoreState
  */
-class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : BaseScreen() {
+class WorldScreen(
+    val gameInfo: GameInfo,
+    val viewingCiv: CivilizationInfo,
+    restoreState: RestoreState? = null
+) : BaseScreen() {
+    /** When set, causes the screen to update in the next [render][BaseScreen.render] event */
+    var shouldUpdate = false
 
+    /** Indicates it's the player's ([viewingCiv]) turn */
     var isPlayersTurn = viewingCiv == gameInfo.currentPlayerCiv
         private set     // only this class is allowed to make changes
+
+    /** Selected civilization, used in spectator and replay mode, equals viewingCiv in ordinary games */
     var selectedCiv = viewingCiv
+
     var fogOfWar = true
         private set
+
+    /** `true` when it's the player's turn unless he is a spectator*/
     val canChangeState
         get() = isPlayersTurn && !viewingCiv.isSpectator()
+
+    val mapHolder = WorldMapHolder(this, gameInfo.tileMap)
+
+    /** Bottom left widget holding information about a selected unit or city */
+    val bottomUnitTable = UnitTable(this)
+
     private var waitingForAutosave = false
     private val mapVisualization = MapVisualization(gameInfo, viewingCiv)
 
-    val mapHolder = WorldMapHolder(this, gameInfo.tileMap)
     private val minimapWrapper = MinimapHolder(mapHolder)
 
     private val topBar = WorldScreenTopBar(this)
-    val bottomUnitTable = UnitTable(this)
+
+
     private val bottomTileInfoTable = TileInfoTable(viewingCiv)
     private val battleTable = BattleTable(this)
     private val unitActionsTable = UnitActionsTable(this)
@@ -124,8 +140,6 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
         ImageGetter.getBlue().darken(0.5f)) }
     private val notificationsScroll = NotificationsScroll(this)
 
-    var shouldUpdate = false
-
     private val zoomController = ZoomButtonPair(mapHolder)
 
     private var nextTurnUpdateJob: Job? = null
@@ -139,12 +153,8 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
 
         minimapWrapper.x = stage.width - minimapWrapper.width
 
-        try { // Most memory errors occur here, so this is a sort of catch-all
-            mapHolder.addTiles()
-        } catch (outOfMemoryError: OutOfMemoryError) {
-            mapHolder.clear() // hopefully enough memory will be freed to be able to display the toast popup
-            ToastPopup("Not enough memory on phone to load game!", this)
-        }
+        // This is the most memory-intensive operation we have currently, most OutOfMemory errors will occur here
+        mapHolder.addTiles()
 
         // resume music (in case choices from the menu lead to instantiation of a new WorldScreen)
         UncivGame.Current.musicController.resume()
@@ -228,6 +238,8 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
             }
         }
 
+        if (restoreState != null) restore(restoreState)
+
         // don't run update() directly, because the UncivGame.worldScreen should be set so that the city buttons and tile groups
         //  know what the viewing civ is.
         shouldUpdate = true
@@ -349,10 +361,8 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
             }
             launchOnGLThread {
                 loadingGamePopup.close()
-                if (game.gameInfo!!.gameId == gameInfo.gameId) { // game could've been changed during download
-                    game.setScreen(createNewWorldScreen(latestGame))
-                }
             }
+            startNewScreenJob(latestGame)
         } catch (ex: Throwable) {
             launchOnGLThread {
                 val message = MultiplayerHelpers.getLoadExceptionMessage(ex)
@@ -425,12 +435,8 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
         // it doesn't update the explored tiles of the civ... need to think about that harder
         // it causes a bug when we move a unit to an unexplored tile (for instance a cavalry unit which can move far)
 
-        try { // Most memory errors occur here, so this is a sort of catch-all
-            if (fogOfWar) mapHolder.updateTiles(selectedCiv)
-            else mapHolder.updateTiles(viewingCiv)
-        } catch (outOfMemoryError: OutOfMemoryError) {
-            ToastPopup("Not enough memory on phone to load game!", this)
-        }
+        if (fogOfWar) mapHolder.updateTiles(selectedCiv)
+        else mapHolder.updateTiles(viewingCiv)
 
         topBar.update(selectedCiv)
 
@@ -606,26 +612,32 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
 
     }
 
-    private fun createNewWorldScreen(gameInfo: GameInfo, resize:Boolean=false): WorldScreen {
+    class RestoreState(
+        mapHolder: WorldMapHolder,
+        val selectedCivName: String,
+        val viewingCivName: String,
+        val fogOfWar: Boolean
+    ) {
+        val zoom = mapHolder.scaleX
+        val scrollX = mapHolder.scrollX
+        val scrollY = mapHolder.scrollY
+    }
+    fun getRestoreState(): RestoreState {
+        return RestoreState(mapHolder, selectedCiv.civName, viewingCiv.civName, fogOfWar)
+    }
 
-        game.gameInfo = gameInfo
-        val newWorldScreen = WorldScreen(gameInfo, gameInfo.getPlayerToViewAs())
+    private fun restore(restoreState: RestoreState) {
 
         // This is not the case if you have a multiplayer game where you play as 2 civs
-        if (!resize && newWorldScreen.viewingCiv.civName == viewingCiv.civName) {
-            newWorldScreen.mapHolder.width = mapHolder.width
-            newWorldScreen.mapHolder.height = mapHolder.height
-            newWorldScreen.mapHolder.scaleX = mapHolder.scaleX
-            newWorldScreen.mapHolder.scaleY = mapHolder.scaleY
-            newWorldScreen.mapHolder.scrollX = mapHolder.scrollX
-            newWorldScreen.mapHolder.scrollY = mapHolder.scrollY
-            newWorldScreen.mapHolder.updateVisualScroll()
+        if (viewingCiv.civName == restoreState.viewingCivName) {
+            mapHolder.zoom(restoreState.zoom)
+            mapHolder.scrollX = restoreState.scrollX
+            mapHolder.scrollY = restoreState.scrollY
+            mapHolder.updateVisualScroll()
         }
 
-        newWorldScreen.selectedCiv = gameInfo.getCivilization(selectedCiv.civName)
-        newWorldScreen.fogOfWar = fogOfWar
-
-        return newWorldScreen
+        selectedCiv = gameInfo.getCivilization(restoreState.selectedCivName)
+        fogOfWar = restoreState.fogOfWar
     }
 
     fun nextTurn() {
@@ -665,32 +677,9 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
             if (game.gameInfo != originalGameInfo) // while this was turning we loaded another game
                 return@runOnNonDaemonThreadPool
 
-            this@WorldScreen.game.gameInfo = gameInfoClone
             debug("Next turn took %sms", System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime)
 
-            val shouldAutoSave = gameInfoClone.turns % game.settings.turnsBetweenAutosaves == 0
-
-            // create a new WorldScreen to show the new stuff we've changed, and switch out the current screen.
-            // do this on main thread - it's the only one that has a GL context to create images from
-            launchOnGLThread {
-                val newWorldScreen = createNewWorldScreen(gameInfoClone)
-                if (gameInfoClone.currentPlayerCiv.civName != viewingCiv.civName
-                        && !gameInfoClone.gameParameters.isOnlineMultiplayer) {
-                    game.setScreen(PlayerReadyScreen(newWorldScreen))
-                } else {
-                    game.setScreen(newWorldScreen)
-                }
-
-                if (shouldAutoSave) {
-                    newWorldScreen.waitingForAutosave = true
-                    newWorldScreen.shouldUpdate = true
-                    game.gameSaver.requestAutoSave(gameInfoClone).invokeOnCompletion {
-                        // only enable the user to next turn once we've saved the current one
-                        newWorldScreen.waitingForAutosave = false
-                        newWorldScreen.shouldUpdate = true
-                    }
-                }
-            }
+            startNewScreenJob(gameInfoClone)
         }
     }
 
@@ -833,8 +822,9 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
     }
 
     override fun resize(width: Int, height: Int) {
-        if (stage.viewport.screenWidth != width || stage.viewport.screenHeight != height)
-            createNewWorldScreen(gameInfo, resize=true) // start over
+        if (stage.viewport.screenWidth != width || stage.viewport.screenHeight != height) {
+            startNewScreenJob(gameInfo) // start over
+        }
     }
 
 
@@ -899,4 +889,34 @@ class WorldScreen(val gameInfo: GameInfo, val viewingCiv:CivilizationInfo) : Bas
         ExitGamePopup(this, true)
 
     }
+
+    fun autoSave() {
+        waitingForAutosave = true
+        shouldUpdate = true
+        UncivGame.Current.gameSaver.requestAutoSave(gameInfo).invokeOnCompletion {
+            // only enable the user to next turn once we've saved the current one
+            waitingForAutosave = false
+            shouldUpdate = true
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/** This exists so that no reference to the current world screen remains, so the old world screen can get garbage collected during [UncivGame.loadGame]. */
+private fun startNewScreenJob(gameInfo: GameInfo) {
+    Concurrency.run {
+        val newWorldScreen = try {
+            UncivGame.Current.loadGame(gameInfo)
+        } catch (oom: OutOfMemoryError) {
+            withGLContext {
+                val mainMenu = UncivGame.Current.goToMainMenu()
+                ToastPopup("Not enough memory on phone to load game!", mainMenu)
+            }
+            return@run
+        }
+
+        val shouldAutoSave = gameInfo.turns % UncivGame.Current.settings.turnsBetweenAutosaves == 0
+        if (shouldAutoSave) {
+            newWorldScreen.autoSave()
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/mainmenu/WorldScreenMenuPopup.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/mainmenu/WorldScreenMenuPopup.kt
index 5e6839ef31..d608c02f22 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/mainmenu/WorldScreenMenuPopup.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/ui/worldscreen/mainmenu/WorldScreenMenuPopup.kt
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ class WorldScreenMenuPopup(val worldScreen: WorldScreen) : Popup(worldScreen) {
         defaults().fillX()
 
         addButton("Main menu") {
-            worldScreen.game.gameSaver.requestAutoSaveUnCloned(worldScreen.gameInfo) // Can save gameInfo directly because the user can't modify it on the MainMenuScreen
-            worldScreen.game.setScreen(MainMenuScreen())
+            worldScreen.game.goToMainMenu()
         }
         addButton("Civilopedia") {
             close()
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/utils/concurrency/Concurrency.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/utils/concurrency/Concurrency.kt
index b924235bc3..8685dcf714 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/utils/concurrency/Concurrency.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/utils/concurrency/Concurrency.kt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.Runnable
 import kotlinx.coroutines.asCoroutineDispatcher
 import kotlinx.coroutines.cancel
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
+import kotlinx.coroutines.withContext
 import java.util.concurrent.CancellationException
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors
@@ -93,6 +94,13 @@ fun CoroutineScope.launchOnNonDaemonThreadPool(name: String? = null, block: susp
 /** See [launch]. Runs on the GDX GL thread. Use this for all code that manipulates the GDX UI classes. */
 fun CoroutineScope.launchOnGLThread(name: String? = null, block: suspend CoroutineScope.() -> Unit) = launchCrashHandling(Dispatcher.GL, name, block)
 
+/** See [withContext]. Runs on a daemon thread pool. Use this for code that does not necessarily need to finish executing. */
+suspend fun <T> withThreadPoolContext(block: suspend CoroutineScope.() -> T): T = withContext(Dispatcher.DAEMON, block)
+/** See [withContext]. Runs on a non-daemon thread pool. Use this if you do something that should always finish if possible, like saving the game. */
+suspend fun <T> withNonDaemonThreadPoolContext(block: suspend CoroutineScope.() -> T): T = withContext(Dispatcher.NON_DAEMON, block)
+/** See [withContext]. Runs on the GDX GL thread. Use this for all code that manipulates the GDX UI classes. */
+suspend fun <T> withGLContext(block: suspend CoroutineScope.() -> T): T = withContext(Dispatcher.GL, block)
+
 
 /**
  * All dispatchers here bring the main game loop to a [com.unciv.CrashScreen] if an exception happens.
diff --git a/desktop/src/com/unciv/app/desktop/ConsoleLauncher.kt b/desktop/src/com/unciv/app/desktop/ConsoleLauncher.kt
index 6efef61e4f..c96a0bb26d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/com/unciv/app/desktop/ConsoleLauncher.kt
+++ b/desktop/src/com/unciv/app/desktop/ConsoleLauncher.kt
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ internal object ConsoleLauncher {
         val mapParameters = getMapParameters()
         val gameSetupInfo = GameSetupInfo(gameParameters, mapParameters)
         val newGame = GameStarter.startNewGame(gameSetupInfo)
-        UncivGame.Current.gameInfo = newGame
+        UncivGame.Current.startSimulation(newGame)
 
         val simulation = Simulation(newGame,10,4)
 
diff --git a/tests/src/com/unciv/testing/SerializationTests.kt b/tests/src/com/unciv/testing/SerializationTests.kt
index b9b7ceb3cc..7c3910ad87 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/unciv/testing/SerializationTests.kt
+++ b/tests/src/com/unciv/testing/SerializationTests.kt
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class SerializationTests {
 
         UncivGame.Current.settings = GameSettings()
         game = GameStarter.startNewGame(setup)
-        UncivGame.Current.gameInfo = game
+        UncivGame.Current.startSimulation(game)
 
         // Found a city otherwise too many classes have no instance and are not tested
         val civ = game.getCurrentPlayerCivilization()